Section 31 Effect of freezing order , assessment period or pause orderF6F7I1

Where a jobholder is an active member of a qualifying scheme and a freezing event occurs in relation to the scheme, the jobholder does not, for the purposes of this Chapter, cease to be an active member of the scheme, and the scheme does not, for those purposes, cease to be a qualifying scheme, by virtue of any relevant provision.

Where a worker is an active member of a scheme that satisfies the requirements of section 9 and a freezing event occurs in relation to the scheme, the worker does not, for the purposes of section 9(1)(c), cease to be an active member of the scheme by virtue of any relevant provision.

In this section—

• “freezing event” in relation to a scheme means—

  1. (a)

     the making of a freezing order under Article 19 of the Pensions (Northern Ireland) Order 2005 (NI 1) (in this Act referred to as “the 2005 Order”) in relation to the scheme, F1...

  2. (b)

     the beginning of an assessment period within the meaning of Article 116 of that Order in relation to the scheme F2, or

  3. (c)

     the making of a pause order under section 95 of the Pension Schemes Act 2021; F3, or

  4. (d)

     the making of a pause order under section 31 of the Pension Schemes Act (Northern Ireland) 2021;

• “relevant provision” means—

  1. (a)

     in relation to a freezing order, provision contained in the order, or the provision made with respect to the order by Article 19 of the 2005 Order;

  2. (b)

     in relation to an assessment period, the provision made with respect to the period by Article 117 of that Order.

  3. (c)

     F4in relation to a pause order, provision contained in the order or the provision made with respect to the order by section 95 of the Pension Schemes Act 2021.

  4. (d)

     F5in relation to a pause order, provision contained in the order or the provision made with respect to the order by section 31 of the Pension Schemes Act (Northern Ireland) 2021.