{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/new-firefighters-pension-scheme-amendment-order-northern-ireland-2015/note",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/new-firefighters-pension-scheme-amendment-order-northern-ireland-2015/note.json",
  "legislation": "nisr/2015/9",
  "legislation_title": "The New Firefighters’ Pension Scheme (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2015",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/new-firefighters-pension-scheme-amendment-order-northern-ireland-2015",
  "path": "note",
  "kind": "note",
  "number": null,
  "heading": "Explanatory note",
  "text": "(This note is not part of the Order)\nThis Order amends the Annex to the New Firefighters’ Pension Scheme Order (Northern Ireland) 2007. Some of the amendments make minor corrections to the New Firefighters’ Pension Scheme set out in that Annex. Most of the provisions amend the Scheme to provide those persons who were employed in Northern Ireland as retained firefighters during the period from 1st July 2000 to 5th April 2006 inclusive with access to a pension scheme for that period.\nThe Order has retrospective effect by virtue of article 10(4) of the Fire Services (Northern Ireland) Order 1984 as continued by article 60 of the Fire and Rescue Service (Northern Ireland) Order 2006.\nPart 2 of the Scheme (membership, cessation and retirement) is amended to enable eligible retained firefighters to join the Scheme from the date their service began or from 1st July 2000 if later. The normal retirement age and normal benefit age of special members differ from those for ordinary members (paragraph 2).\nA new article 11A is inserted into Part 3 of the Scheme (personal awards) setting out the conditions for a special member to receive a special member’s ordinary pension; new article 12A sets out the conditions for receipt of a retrospective award on ill-health retirement. Other articles in Part 3 are amended so as to apply to special members (paragraph 3).\nPart 4 of the Scheme (survivors’ pensions) is amended so as to apply to special members (paragraph 4).\nPart 5 of the Scheme (awards on death) is adapted for special members and a new article 35A is inserted providing for death grant for the limited period (paragraph 5).\nParts 6 of the Scheme (pension sharing on divorce), 9 (review, withdrawal and forfeiture of awards) and 10 (qualifying service and pensionable service) are amended in respect of special members. A new article 56A is inserted into Part 10 which sets out the periods of service which may be accrued as special pensionable service by special members on payment of the mandatory special period pension contributions or the special pension contributions; (paragraphs 6, 7 and 8).\nPart 11 of the Scheme (pensionable pay, pension contributions and purchase of additional service) is amended in respect of special members. A new article 65A is inserted which provides for the purchase of service during the limited period and a new article 66A and article 66B are inserted which set out the periods of payment for different types of special member (paragraph 9).\nPart 12 of the Scheme (transfers into and out of the Scheme) is amended in respect of special members. In particular a new chapter 3A and article 81A are inserted which permit a deferred member of the Firefighters’ Pension Scheme who joins this Scheme as a special firefighter member to request a transfer value payment to be made in certain circumstances to his special membership of this Scheme. A new chapter 5 and article 84A are inserted allowing conversion of membership from special membership to standard membership and from standard membership to special membership. A new article 84B is inserted which enables a standard member of this Scheme in respect of service which he would otherwise be able to reckon as special pensionable service, who joins this Scheme as a special firefighter member, to convert his standard membership of this Scheme to his special membership on payment of the additional pension contribution (paragraph 10).\nA new Schedule ZA is inserted which provides for the calculation of the commuted portion of pensions by special members. A new Schedule AB1 is inserted which provides for the calculation of pension contributions for special members. Schedule 1 is also amended in relation to special members.\nThe Order also amends Schedule A1 of the Scheme to change the contribution rates payable by ordinary members from 1st April 2014.\nA full impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no impact on the private or voluntary sectors is foreseen and the impact on the public sector is minimal.",
  "extent": null,
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisr/2015/9/note",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T01:04:23.613422+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."
}