Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the impact of rules relating to pensions abatement for NHS staff after October 2022 on those staff affected.

Pension abatement was temporarily suspended as part of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic and is set to resume in October 2022. The Department is keeping the position under review.

Abatement normally applies to staff who return to NHS service before the age of 60 years old having used a special reserved right to retire early from the age of 55 years old without a reduction in their pension. Staff with these ‘special class’ pension rights have not paid extra contributions for this benefit, which is unavailable to other staff in the National Health Service. Abatement therefore ensures there is fairness to all scheme members. Staff without these special retirement rights are not subject to abatement after taking their pension. However, where abatement applies, staff with long careers can perform substantial amounts of work. Typically they can work at least half-time before reaching their abatement ceiling and the Department will ensure that staff potentially affected by abatement are aware of the amount of work which can be undertaken.