{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/local-government-pension-scheme-regulations-northern-ireland-2002/regulation-18",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/local-government-pension-scheme-regulations-northern-ireland-2002/regulation-18.json",
  "legislation": "nisr/2002/352",
  "legislation_title": "Local Government Pension Scheme Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2002",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/local-government-pension-scheme-regulations-northern-ireland-2002",
  "path": "regulation/18",
  "kind": "regulation",
  "number": "18",
  "heading": "General qualification for benefits",
  "text": "(1) Membership of the Scheme only entitles the member to benefits under this Chapter if –\n(a) his total membership is at least three months;\n(b) a transfer value is credited to him; or\n(c) neither paragraph (a) nor (b) applies and he –\n(i) has attained state pensionable age; or\n(ii) will attain that age before the following 6th April.\n(2) But paragraph (1) does not apply –\n(a) to a benefit under regulation 26 (normal retirement) in a case where the member’s normal retirement date is his 65th birthday ...; or\n(b) to benefits in respect of a member under regulation 41 (death grants), regulation 42 (surviving spouse’s or civil partner's short-term pension), regulation 47 (children’s short-term pensions) or regulation 48 (children’s long-term pensions).",
  "extent": "N.I.",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Regulations revoked in part (1.4.2009) by Local Government Pension Scheme (Amendment and Transitional Provisions) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2009 (S.R. 2009/34), reg. 1(1), Sch. 1 (with reg. 3)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "Words in reg. 18(1)(a) substituted (1.6.2005) by Local Government Pension Scheme (Amendment No. 2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2005 (S.R. 2005/274), regs. 1(2), 5(a), (with regs. 28, 29)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F3",
      "text": "Words in reg. 18(2)(a) deleted (1.6.2005) by Local Government Pension Scheme (Amendment No. 2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2005 (S.R. 2005/274), regs. 1(2), 5(b), (with regs. 28, 29)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F4",
      "text": "Words in reg. 18(2)(b) inserted (with effect in accordance with reg. 1(3) of the amending Rule) by Local Government Pension Scheme (Civil Partnership) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006 (S.R. 2006/6), regs. 1(2), 3(2)"
    },
    {
      "type": "I",
      "label": "I1",
      "text": "Reg. 18 in operation at 1.2.2003, see reg. 1"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisr/2002/352/regulation/18",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T02:06:03.867007+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."
}