Paragraph 65B Purchase of service during the extended limited periodF1

(1)

A person who satisfies the conditions specified in paragraph (2) may, in accordance with the following provisions of this Chapter, elect to pay pension contributions in respect of the person’s service during the extended limited period.

(2)

The conditions are that—

(a)

the person is a special member or is entitled to join this Scheme as a special member;

(b)

the service is—

(i)

as a retained firefighter;

(ii)

as a regular firefighter where the person took up employment after 5th April 2006 as a regular firefighter immediately after the termination of the person’s employment as a retained firefighter; or

(iii)

with the agreement of the Board, as a regular firefighter, but not as a retained firefighter, where the person had been employed by the Board as a retained firefighter and then required by the Board after 5th April 2006 to remain in employment as a retained firefighter whilst taking up employment as a regular firefighter; and

(c)

paragraph (3) does not apply to the person.

(3)

This paragraph applies to a person if—

(a)

the person first took up employment as a retained firefighter on or after 1 July 2000; and

(b)

the Board notified the person of their entitlement to join this Scheme as a special member under article 65A(4) of this Part, and, if required to do so, the Board complied with the requirements in article 65A(13) or article 66C(4) (election to purchase service: provisional enrolment) of this Part.

(4)

The Board must determine whether paragraph (3)(b) applies in accordance with guidance issued by the Department from time to time, and must notify those persons to whom they determine that paragraph (3) applies within three months of the initial date.

(5)

Where a person disagrees with the Board’s determination under paragraph (4), that person may, by written notice given to the Board within 28 days of receipt of the determination, require the Board to deal with the disagreement by means of the arrangements implemented by it pursuant to the requirements of article 50 of the Pensions (Northern Ireland) Order 1995 (requirement for dispute resolution arrangements) and the Occupational Pension Schemes (Internal Dispute Resolution Procedures) (Consequential and Miscellaneous amendments) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2008.

(6)

The period of service referred to in paragraph (1) does not, subject to article 81A (transfer of accrued rights under the Firefighters’ Pension Scheme to special members of this scheme) or article 84C (converting membership from standard membership to special membership – special pensioner members) of Part 12, include any period of service in respect of which the person paid—

(a)

pension contributions under the FPS;

(b)

pension contributions under this Scheme as a standard member;

(c)

special pension contributions under this Scheme as a special member in relation to service during the limited period which the person elected to purchase following an application under article 65A of this Part.

(7)

Where paragraph (1) applies—

(a)

subject to F2article 66A(12), mandatory special period pension contributions must be paid in respect of the person’s service during the mandatory special period; and

(b)

mandatory special period pension contributions must be paid for the period required by F3article 66A(11), where a person has elected to transfer their accrued rights in the FPS to their special membership.

(8)

Subject to paragraph (14), within three months of the second initial date, the Board must use reasonable endeavours to notify that they may be so entitled all those existing employees and former employees employed during the special employment period who either—

(a)

may be entitled to join this Scheme as a special member; or

(b)

are existing special members who may be entitled to purchase service during the extended limited period.

(9)

A person may apply to the Board by which the person was employed during the special employment period for a statement of—

(a)

the service in respect of which the person may become entitled to pay contributions under this article; and

(b)

the mandatory special period pension contributions which the person would be required to pay in respect of that service.

(10)

Subject to paragraph (14), an application must be made—

(a)

within six months of receiving the notification under paragraph (8); or

(b)

if no such notification has been received, within nine months of the second initial date.

(11)

An application under paragraph (9) must be in writing and must state—

(a)

the date on which the applicant took up employment as a retained firefighter;

(b)

where the applicant has left that employment, the date on which the applicant left;

(c)

where the applicant took up employment as a regular firefighter, the date on which the applicant took up that employment;

(d)

if the applicant joined this Scheme as a standard member or joined the FPS, the date on which the applicant joined the Scheme and, if it was the case, the date on which the applicant made an election not to pay pension contributions under article 8 of Part 2 of this Scheme or under article 59 of the FPS (as the case may be); and

(e)

if the applicant has already joined this Scheme as a special member, the date on which the applicant joined this Scheme and the period of service the person has already elected to purchase under article 66A.

(12)

The Board must determine a person’s service and pensionable pay during the extended limited period, and the person’s special pension contributions payable in respect of such service, in accordance with article 65C.

(13)

Subject to paragraph (14), within three months of receiving an application under paragraph (9), the Board must give the applicant a notice setting out—

(a)

the period of service during the extended limited period which the applicant may purchase;

(b)

the amount of special pension contributions payable in respect of the mandatory special period;

(c)

the amount of special pension contributions payable in respect of the remainder of the person’s service during the extended limited period; and

(d)

the pensionable pay and in appropriate cases the final pensionable pay which the Board has determined was paid during the extended limited period.

(14)

Where it is not reasonably practicable to comply with any requirement set out in this article within the period specified, the Board or applicant as the case may be must comply with that requirement as soon as reasonably practicable after the end of that period, but this is subject to article 66B(13) (date by which election to purchase special service will cease to take effect).

(15)

In a case where a member makes an application under paragraph (10)(b) after F41 September 2027, the Board must consult the Scheme Actuary when preparing the notice under paragraph (13).

Annotations

Textual amendments

F1: Annex Scheme arts. 65B, 65C inserted (31.10.2023) by The Firefighters’ Pension Schemes (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2023 (S.R. 2023/178), reg. 1, Sch. para. 6(3)
F2: Words in Annex Scheme art. 65B(7)(a) substituted (1.9.2026) by The New Firefighters’ Pension Scheme (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2026 (S.R. 2026/150), art. 1, Sch. para. 4(2)(a)
F3: Words in Annex Scheme art. 65B(7)(b) substituted (1.9.2026) by The New Firefighters’ Pension Scheme (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2026 (S.R. 2026/150), art. 1, Sch. para. 4(2)(b)
F4: Words in Annex Scheme art. 65B(15) substituted (1.9.2026) by The New Firefighters’ Pension Scheme (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2026 (S.R. 2026/150), art. 1, Sch. para. 4(2)(c)