{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/firefighters-pension-scheme-regulations-northern-ireland-2015/regulation-118",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/firefighters-pension-scheme-regulations-northern-ireland-2015/regulation-118.json",
  "legislation": "nisr/2015/78",
  "legislation_title": "The Firefighters' Pension Scheme Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/firefighters-pension-scheme-regulations-northern-ireland-2015",
  "path": "regulation/118",
  "kind": "regulation",
  "number": "118",
  "heading": "Member contributions",
  "text": "(1) Subject to regulations 119 to 121 (contributions during absences) an active member of this scheme must pay contributions to the scheme in respect of a scheme employment at the contribution rate applicable to the annual pensionable pay that member is receiving in the pay period in which 1st April falls for that employment (or in the case of an active member whose membership commences after 1st April in any year, on the annual pensionable pay the member receives at the commencement of that membership).\n(2) The contribution rate applicable to a scheme employment beginning with 1st April 2015 and ending 30th April 2026 is as specified in the following table, with the contribution rate specified in the appropriate column for the year to be considered applicable to the band of pensionable pay specified in the first column into which the active member's annual pensionable pay, rounded down to the nearest whole pound, falls:\nPensionable pay range for an employment\nContribution rate 1st April 2015-31st March 2016\nUp to £27,000\n10.0%\n£27,001 to £50,000\n12.2%\n£50,001 to £142,500\n13.5%\n£142,501 or more\n14.5%\nPensionable pay range for an employment\nContribution rate 1st April 2016-31st March 2017\nUp to £27,270\n10.0%\n£27,271 to £50,500\n12.5%\n£50,501 to £142,500\n13.5%\n£142,501 or more\n14.5%\nPensionable pay range for an employment\nContribution rate 1st April 207-31st March 2018\nUp to £27,543\n10.5%\n£27,544 to £51,005\n12.7%\n£51,006 to £142,500\n13.5%\n£142,501 or more\n14.5%\nPensionable pay range for an employment\nContribution rate from 1st April 2018\nUp to £27,818\n11.0%\n£27,819 to £51,515\n12.9%\n£51,516 to £142,500\n13.5%\n£142,501 or more\n14.5%\n(2A) The contribution rate applicable to a scheme employment beginning with 1st May 2026 is as specified in the following table, with the contribution rate specified in the second column to be considered applicable to the band of pensionable pay specified in the first column into which the active member’s actual annual pensionable pay falls:\nPensionable pay range for an employment\nContribution rate beginning with 1st May 2026\nUp to £36,130.99\n11.71%\n£36,131.00 to £45,407.99\n13.21%\n£45,408.00 to £66,908.99\n14.71%\n£66,909.00 to £190,691.99\n16.21%\n£190,692.00 or more\n17.71%\n(3) The amount of pensionable pay of a retained or volunteer firefighter—\n(i) for the purpose of the first column of the table in paragraph (2) must be that firefighter’s reference pay for the period beginning with 1st April 2015 to 30th April 2026;\n(ii) for the purpose of the first column of the table in paragraph (2A) must be that firefighter’s actual annual pensionable pay beginning with 1st May 2026.\n(4) The amount of pensionable pay of a part-time regular firefighter—\n(i) for the purpose of the first column of the table in paragraph (2) must be the amount of pensionable pay of a whole-time regular firefighter of equivalent role and length of service for the period beginning with 1st April 2015 to 30th April 2026;\n(ii) for the purpose of the first column of the table in paragraph (2A) must be that firefighter’s actual annual pensionable pay beginning with 1st May 2026.\n(4A) The figures in the first column of the table in paragraph (2A) are to be increased at the beginning of each scheme year starting with the scheme year 2027/28, if there is a relevant increase in the consumer prices index or, should the Department decide, any other index of the general level of prices in the United Kingdom, by the appropriate percentage for the scheme year rounded up to the nearest £1.\n(4B) For the purposes of paragraph (4A)—\n(a) there is a relevant increase in the consumer prices index, or any other index of the general level of prices in the United Kingdom, for a scheme year if the index for the month of September before that scheme year is higher than that for the previous September;\n(b) the appropriate percentage for the scheme year is the same percentage as any percentage increase in the consumer prices index, or any other index of the general level of prices in the United Kingdom decided by the Department, over the period specified by sub-paragraph (a);\n(c) the “consumer prices index” means the general index of consumer prices (for all items) published by the Statistics Board, a body corporate established by section 1 of the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007;\n(d) where there is a relevant increase after 1st April 2027, the figures to be increased on the relevant date are the figures applicable to the previous scheme year.\n(5) Where there is a change in scheme employment, or a material change which affects the member's pensionable pay in the course of a financial year and the revised amount of the pensionable pay falls into a different contribution rate band the scheme manager must determine that this rate should be applied and the scheme manager must inform the member of the contribution rate applicable and the date from which it is to be applied.\n(6) Where the scheme manager has determined under paragraph (5) that a different contribution rate applies, the member must pay contributions at that rate on the pensionable pay that member is receiving at that time.\n(7) For the purposes of identifying which is the applicable contribution rate under this regulation, any reduction in pensionable pay which arises as a consequence of any of the following circumstances is to be disregarded—\n(a) the actual or assumed enjoyment by the member of any statutory entitlement during any period away from work;\n(b) child-related leave;\n(c) leave of absence with permission;\n(d) sick leave;\n(e) leave due to injury;\n(f) reserve forces service leave;\n(g) absence due to a trade dispute; or\n(h) circumstances specified by the scheme manager in a particular case.\n(8) In these Regulations, “member contributions” means contributions which an active member may pay under this regulation and regulations 119 to 121 (contributions during absences from work).",
  "extent": null,
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Words in reg. 118(2) inserted (1.5.2026) by The Firefighters’ Pension Scheme (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2026 (S.R. 2026/73), regs. 1, 2(2)(a)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "Reg. 118(2A) inserted (1.5.2026) by The Firefighters’ Pension Scheme (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2026 (S.R. 2026/73), regs. 1, 2(2)(b)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F3",
      "text": "Reg. 118(3) substituted (1.5.2026) by The Firefighters’ Pension Scheme (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2026 (S.R. 2026/73), regs. 1, 2(2)(c)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F4",
      "text": "Reg. 118(4) substituted (1.5.2026) by The Firefighters’ Pension Scheme (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2026 (S.R. 2026/73), regs. 1, 2(2)(d)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F5",
      "text": "Reg. 118(4A)(4B) inserted (1.5.2026) by The Firefighters’ Pension Scheme (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2026 (S.R. 2026/73), regs. 1, 2(2)(e)"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisr/2015/78/regulation/118",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T01:03:31.445177+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}