The Health and Social Care Pension Scheme (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2025
Source: legislation.gov.uk (2025-04-04)

These Regulations amend the Health and Social Care Pension Scheme Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015 (S.R. 2015 No. 120) (“the 2015 Regulations”).

Statutory Rules of Northern Ireland

2025 No. 17

Health And Personal Services

Public Service Pensions

The Health and Social Care Pension Scheme (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2025

Made

5th February 2025

Coming into operation

1st April 2025

The Department of Health makes the following Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by Articles 12(1), (2) and (3) of, and (14)(1) and (2) of, and Schedule 3 to the (1 (\"#f00001\")) (“the 1972 Order”) and sections 1 (1) and (2)(e), 2(1) and 3(1) to (3) of, and paragraph 5 of Schedule 2 and Schedule 3 to, the Public Service Pensions Act (Northern Ireland) 2014(2 (\"#f00002\"))(“the 2014 Act”).

In accordance with Article 12(4) of the 1972 Order and section 21(1) of the 2014 Act, the Department of Health has consulted such persons as appear to the Department of Health likely to be affected by these Regulations.

In accordance with section 22(2)(b) of the 2014 Act, the Department has laid a report before the Assembly.

In accordance with Article 12(1) of the 1972 Order and section 3(5) of the 2014 Act, these Regulations are made with the consent of the Department of Finance.

Citation and commencementN.I.

1. These Regulations may be cited as the Health and Social Care Pension Scheme (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2025 and come into operation on 1st April 2025.

Commencement Information

I1Reg. 1 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/nisr/2025/17/regulation/1\") in operation at 1.4.2025, see reg. 1 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/nisr/2025/17/regulation/1\")

GeneralN.I.

2. The Health and Social Care Pension Scheme Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015(3 (\"#f00003\")) are amended as provided by regulations 3 to 5.

Commencement Information

I2Reg. 2 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/nisr/2025/17/regulation/2\") in operation at 1.4.2025, see reg. 1 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/nisr/2025/17/regulation/1\")

Amendment of regulation 30N.I.

3. In regulation 30 (members’ contributions: employees)(4 (\"#f00004\"))—

(1) In paragraph (3)—

(a)for “scheme years 2024/25” substitute “scheme years 2025/26”;

(b)for the table, substitute—

“Table Scheme Years 2025/26 to 2027/28

Column 1Column 2Pensionable earnings bandContribution percentage rateUp to £13,2595.20%£13,260 to £26,8316.70%£26,832 to £32,6918.50%£32,692 to £49,07810.00%£49,079 to £62,92410.90%£62,925 and above12.70%”.

(2) in paragraph (3A)—

(a)for “scheme years 2024/25” substitute “scheme years 2025/26”;

(b)for the table substitute—

“Table Scheme Years 2025/26 to 2027/28

Column 1Column 2Pensionable earnings bandContribution percentage rateUp to £13,2595.20%£13,260 to £26,8316.70%£26,832 to £32,6918.50%£32,692 to £49,07810.00%£49,079 to £62,92410.90%£62,925 and above12.70%”.

Commencement Information

I3Reg. 3 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/nisr/2025/17/regulation/3\") in operation at 1.4.2025, see reg. 1 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/nisr/2025/17/regulation/1\")

Amendment of regulation 31N.I.

4. In regulation 31 (members’ contributions: practitioners and non-GP providers)(5 (\"#f00005\"))—

(a)in paragraph (9)(b) omit “and each subsequent scheme year”;

(b)in paragraph (9)(c), for “scheme years 2024/25 to 2027/28, Table 3” substitute “scheme year 2024/25, Table 3;”;

(c)after subparagraph (c), insert—

“(d)in respect of the scheme years 2025/26 to 2027/28, Table 4.”;

(d)for the heading on table 2 omit “and each subsequent scheme year”;

(e)for the heading on table 3 omit “to 2027/28”;

(f)after table 3 insert—

“Table 4 Scheme Years 2025/26 to 2027/28

Column 1Column 2Pensionable earnings bandContribution percentage rateUp to £13,2595.20%£13,260 to £26,8316.70%£26,832 to £32,6918.50%£32,692 to £49,07810.00%£49,079 to £62,92410.90%£62,925 and above12.70%”.

(g)In paragraph (11) for “Table 3” substitute “Table 4”.

Commencement Information

I4Reg. 4 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/nisr/2025/17/regulation/4\") in operation at 1.4.2025, see reg. 1 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/nisr/2025/17/regulation/1\")

Amendment of Schedule 13N.I.

5. Schedule 13 (definitions), for the entry in column 2 corresponding to the expression active member, for “124(1)” substitute “121(1)”.

Commencement Information

I5Reg. 5 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/nisr/2025/17/regulation/5\") in operation at 1.4.2025, see reg. 1 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/nisr/2025/17/regulation/1\")

Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department of Health on 5th February 2025.

(L.S.)

Philip Rodgers

A senior officer of the Department of Health

The Department of Finance consents to the foregoing Regulations.

Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department of Finance on 5th February 2025.

(L.S.)

Jeff McGuinness

A senior officer of the Department of Finance

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend the Health and Social Care Pension Scheme Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015 (S.R. 2015 No. 120 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/nisr/2015/120\")) (“the 2015 Regulations”).

These Regulations come into operation on 1st April 2025.

Regulation 1 provides for citation and commencement.

Regulation 2 makes amendments to the Health and Social Care Pension Scheme Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015.

Regulation 3 updates the tables in paragraph (3) and 3(A) of regulation 30 (members’ contributions: employees), which set out pensionable earnings bands and contribution rates, to reflect scheme years 2025/26 to 2027/28.

Regulation 4 updates the tables in paragraph (9) and inserts table 4 in regulation 31 (members’ contributions: practitioners and non-GP providers) which sets out the pensionable earnings bands and contribution rates for year 2025/26 to 2027/28.

Regulation 5 corrects a pre-existing error in the 2015 Regulations.

(1)

1972 N.I 10 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/nisi/1972/1073\") Section 12(1) was amended by sections 32 and 34(3) and Schedule 6 of the Health and Social Care (Reform) Act (Northern Ireland )2009 and section 37(2) of the Public Service Pensions Act (NI) 2014.

(2)

2014 c. 2 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/2014/2\") Section 3(1) and (2) were amended by section 94(2) and (3) of the Public Service Pensions and Judicial Offices Act 2022 (c.7) (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/2022/7\").

(3)

S.R. 2015 No. 120 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/nisr/2015/120\").

(4)

Regulation 30 is amended by S.R. 2019 No.62 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/nisr/2019/62\"), S.R. 2022 No.33 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/nisr/2022/33\"), S.R. 2022 No.244 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/nisr/2022/244\"), S.R. 2024 No.116 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/nisr/2024/116\") & S.R. 2024 No 117 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/nisr/2024/117\").

(5)

Regulation 31 is amended by S.R. 2019 No.62 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/nisr/2019/62\"), S.R. 2022 No.33 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/nisr/2022/33\"), S.R. 2022 No.244 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/nisr/2022/244\")., S.R. 2024 No.116 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/nisr/2024/116\") & S.R. 2024 No 117 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/nisr/2024/117\").