The Health and Social Care (Pension Scheme) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2008

Acceptance of transfer value payments

102.—(1) If an application is duly made by a member under regulation 100, the Department may accept the transfer value payment if such conditions as it may require are met, unless paragraph (4) applies.

(2) If the Department accepts the payment—

(a) the member is entitled to count the appropriate period of pensionable service for the purposes of calculating benefits payable to or in respect of the member under the Scheme, but

(b) in the case of a member any of whose service falls to be treated as capped transferred-in service, with such period as so falls counting as such service.

(3) In paragraph (2)(a) “the appropriate period” means the period calculated in accordance with regulation 103.

(4) For the meaning of “capped transferred-in service”, see regulation 104.

(5) The Department may not accept a transfer value payment if—

(a) it would be applied in whole or in part in respect of the member’s or the member’s spouse’s entitlement to a guaranteed minimum pension, and

(b) it is less than the amount required for that purpose, as calculated in accordance with guidance and tables prepared by the Scheme actuary for the purposes of this paragraph.

(6) Paragraph (5) does not apply if the transfer would be paid under the public sector transfer arrangements.