New pension rights for unmarried partners
Unmarried partners of NHS staff who have died will now be able to claim survivor benefits even if they were not formally nominated by their partner, the NHS Business Service Authority (BSA), which administers the NHS pension schemes, announced in September.
The move follows the ruling by the Supreme Court in February that the previous policy, introduced in April 2008, of only paying survivor benefits to partners who had been formally nominated was unlawful. People affected by the ruling would receive backdated payments, the BSA said.
A BSA spokesman said: “The implications of this ruling have been considered independently by the public-sector pension schemes and we as the NHS pension scheme have decided to change our processes with immediate effect.”
He said the authority would be contacting NHS employers for help in identifying claims for survivor benefits that were rejected as well as people who may have been deterred from claiming under the old rules.
Although no longer a requirement, members with unmarried partners are still encouraged to nominate them, as claimants will still have to provide evidence of their relationship in order to claim survivor benefits.
Related News
-
Faster pay progression for managers aims to tackle promotion blockages
MiP has welcomed moves to speed up pay progression for Band 8 and 9 managers and tackle long-standing problems with the Agenda for Change pay system that deter staff from seeking promotion.
-
News: Union welcomes above-inflation rise for board-level managers
MiP has welcomed a 5% pay rise for very senior and executive senior managers in the NHS in England, after the UK government accepted the latest recommendations from the Senior Salaries Review Body (SSRB).
-
News: 5.5% rise marks noticeable shift on Agenda for Change pay
MiP has welcomed the 5.5% pay rise for NHS staff on Agenda for Change as “a notable shift” and a “good starting point” for future negotiations.