FOI-03556

Thank you for your request for information about the following: 

##Request 

<p><i>‘Can you please tell me how and to whom I would make a freedom of information request?’</i></p>

##[On 13 February 2026 you clarified your request as follows] 

<p><i>‘This FOI requests reflates to requests by members/ex-members for:-</i></p>

<p><i>Refund of your contributions after opting out of the NHS Pension Scheme</i></p>

* _How many requests for refund remained open on 1/10/2025?_

* _In relation the above open requests, how many of these were incomplete & outside of the published processing time of 1 calendar month for payment?_

<p><i>https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/current-processing-times-nhs-pensions</i></p>

<p><i>October 2025</i></p>

<p><i><ul>
<li>   How many requests for refund were received during October 2025?</ul></i></p>

<p><i><ul>
<li>   In relation to requests received in October, how many were completed within the published processing time for payment of 1 calendar month & how many were not? (Actual numbers)</ul></i></p>

<p><i><ul>
<li>   During October 2025, what is the actual average time for payment to be made?</ul></i></p>

<p><i><ul>
<li>   What is the longest delay on a single case?</ul></i></p>

<p><i>November 2025</i></p>

<p><i><ul>
<li>   How many requests for refund were received during November 2025?</ul></i></p>

<p><i><ul>
<li>   In relation to requests received in November, how many were completed within the published processing time for payment of 1 calendar month & how many were not? (Actual numbers)</ul></i></p>

<p><i><ul>
<li>   During November 2025, what is the actual average time for payment to be made?</ul></i></p>

<p><i><ul>
<li>   What is the longest delay on a single case?</ul></i></p>

<p><i>December 2025</i></p>

<p><i><ul>
<li>   How many requests for refund were received during December 2025?</ul></i></p>

<p><i><ul>
<li>   In relation to requests received in December 2025, how many were completed within the published processing time for payment of 1 calendar month & how many were not? (Actual numbers)</ul></i></p>

<p><i><ul>
<li>   During December 2025, what is the actual average time for refund payment to be made?</ul></i></p>

<p><i><ul>
<li>   What is the longest delay on a single case?</ul></i></p>

<p><i>January 2026</i></p>

<p><i><ul>
<li>   During December 2025, what is the actual average time for refund payment to be made?</ul></i></p>

<p><i><ul>
<li>   What is the longest delay on a single case?</ul></i></p>

<p><i>February 2026</i></p>

<p><i><ul>
<li>   How many requests for refund remained open on 13/2/2026?</ul></i></p>

<p><i><ul>
<li>   In relation the above open requests, how many of these were incomplete & outside of the published processing time of 1 calendar month for payment?</ul></i></p>

<p><i><ul>
<li>   Processing times for payments of  Payment of your retirement benefits, Payment of your ill health retirement benefits & Payment of bereavement benefits - Death in service lump sum, survivor pension, dependent child pension are all published on website https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/current-processing-times-nhs-pensions however processing times for Refund of your contributions after opting out of the NHS Pension Scheme are not published.  Why is this?</ul></i></p>

<p><i>What is the service plan to restore compliance with target processing time of 1 month?’</i></p>

The NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) received your request on 27 January 2026, with clarification received on 13 February 2026.  

We have handled your request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA). 

##Our response 

I can confirm that the NHSBSA holds some of the information you have requested. Please read the below notes to ensure correct understanding of the data. 

##Question 1 -  How many requests for refund remained open on 1/10/2025? 

<ul>
<li><strong>   In relation the above open requests, how many of these were incomplete & outside of the published processing time of 1 calendar month for payment?</strong></li></ul>

There were 1,660 refund requests which remained open on 1 October 2025. Of these, 744 were completed within one month and 916 were not completed within one month. 

##Question 2 - October 2025 

<ul>
<li><strong>   How many requests for refund were received during October 2025?</strong></li></ul> 

<ul>
<li><strong>   In relation to requests received in October, how many were completed within the published processing time for payment of 1 calendar month & how many were not? (Actual numbers)</strong></li></ul>

<ul>
<li><strong>   During October 2025, what is the actual average time for payment to be made?</strong></li></ul>

<ul>
<li><strong>   What is the longest delay on a single case?</strong></li></ul>

##November 2025 

<ul>
<li><strong>   How many requests for refund were received during November 2025?</strong></li></ul>

<ul>
<li><strong>   In relation to requests received in November, how many were completed within the published processing time for payment of 1 calendar month & how many were not? (Actual numbers)</strong></li></ul>

<ul>
<li><strong>   During November 2025, what is the actual average time for payment to be made?</strong></li></ul>

<ul>
<li><strong>   What is the longest delay on a single case?</strong></li></ul>

##December 2025 

<ul>
<li><strong>   How many requests for refund were received during December 2025?</strong></li></ul>

<ul>
<li><strong>   In relation to requests received in December 2025, how many were completed within the published processing time for payment of 1 calendar month & how many were not? (Actual numbers)</strong></li></ul>

<ul>
<li><strong>   During December 2025, what is the actual average time for refund payment to be made?</strong></li></ul>

<ul>
<li><strong>   What is the longest delay on a single case?</strong></li></ul>

A copy of the data is attached which answers question two and covers October 2025, November 2025, and December 2025 

##Question 3 - January 2026 

<ul>
<li><strong>   During December 2025, what is the actual average time for refund payment to be made?</strong></li></ul>

<ul>
<li><strong>   What is the longest delay on a single case?</strong></li></ul>

A copy of the data is attached answering question three and covering January 2026. 

##Question 4 - February 2026 

<ul>
<li><strong>   How many requests for refund remained open on 13/2/2026?</strong></li></ul>

As of 13 February 2026, 4,111 requests for refund remained open. 

<ul>
<li><strong>   In relation the above open requests, how many of these were incomplete & outside of the published processing time of 1 calendar month for payment?</strong></li></ul>

A copy of the data is attached (See Q2 and Q3). 

<ul>
<li><strong>   Processing times for payments of  Payment of your retirement benefits, Payment of your ill health retirement benefits & Payment of bereavement benefits - Death in service lump sum, survivor pension, dependent child pension are all published on website https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/current-processing-times-nhs-pensions however processing times for Refund of your contributions after opting out of the NHS Pension Scheme are not published.  Why is this?</strong></li></ul>

Please be advised that processing timescales for refund contributions after opting out of the NHS Pension Scheme are published on our website via the following link: https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/current-processing-times-nhs-pensions. 

<ul>
<li><strong> What is the service plan to restore compliance with target processing time of 1 month?</strong></li></ul>

Following a search of our paper and electronic records, we have established that the information you have requested is not held by the NHSBSA. 

We are actively working on a comprehensive recovery plan to restore performance.  

##Data Queries 

Please contact <a href=mailto:foirequests@nhsbsa.nhs.uk>foirequests@nhsbsa.nhs.uk</a> ensuring you quote the above reference if you have any specific questions regarding this response; or, if you feel you may be misunderstanding or misinterpreting the information; or, if you plan on publishing the data. 

##Reusing the data and copyright 

If you plan on producing a press or broadcast story based upon the data please contact <a href=mailto:communicationsteam@nhsbsa.nhs.uk>communicationsteam@nhsbsa.nhs.uk</a>. This is important to ensure that the figures are not misunderstood or misrepresented. 

The information supplied to you continues to be protected by the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 and is subject to NHSBSA copyright. This information is licenced under the terms of the Open Government Licence detailed at: 

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/  

Should you wish to re-use the information you must include the following statement: “NHSBSA Copyright 2026”. Failure to do so is a breach of the terms of the licence. 

Information you receive which is not subject to NHSBSA Copyright continues to be protected by the copyright of the person, or organisation, from which the information originated. Please obtain their permission before reproducing any third party (non NHSBSA Copyright) information.

Tags: NHS Pensions, Refunds
Organization: Freedom of Information Disclosure Log