1992 Fire Scheme - Information on your membership for active members
What is the Firefighters 1992 Pension Scheme?
The Firefighters’ Pension Scheme 1992 was a Defined Benefit Pension Scheme. The Scheme is no longer open to new firefighters and it is not possible to transfer other pension rights into the Scheme. To be a member of the Scheme you must have joined before 1 April 2006.
If you are a current active members of the 1992 scheme you will have satisfied the membership conditions and joined before this date; not opted out of the Scheme, and will have not had any subsequent break in continuity of employment.
How much will I pay?
As a member of the 1992 scheme your contribution rate is based upon your pensionable pay. The Northamptonshire and Cambridgeshire Fire & Rescue Service also pay towards your retirement benefits.
The current contribution banding rates for 2020/2021 are:
| Pensionable pay | Contribution rate from 1 April 2020 (percentage of pensionable pay) |
|---|---|
|
Up to and including £15,609 |
11.0% |
| More than £15,609 and up to and including £21,852 | 12.2% |
| More than £21,852 and up to and including £31,218 | 14.2% |
| More than £31,218 and up to and including £41,624 | 14.7% |
| More than £41,624 and up to and including £52,030 | 15.2% |
| More than £52,030 and up to and including £62,436 | 15.5% |
| More than £62,436 and up to and including £104,060 | 16.0% |
| More than £104,060 and up to and including £124,872 | 16.5% |
|
More than £124,872 |
17.0% |
What if I go on a strike day?
Should you take part in any strike action you should be aware that this may have an effect on your pension. If strike absence takes the form of complete days, then each complete day of absence will be omitted from your total pensionable service. If strike absence takes the form of lesser periods, for example one-hour strikes, the application of pension rules becomes more complicated.
In all cases you are able to pay the arrears of pension contributions to have your strike absence day reinstated as pensionable service.
For further information please see our Firefighters Strike implications on Pensions factsheet below:
Should you have any further queries regarding this matter, or wish to pay the arrears of pension contributions following a strike break then please contact your HR department.
Leaving the scheme?
If you do not want to be a member of the 1992 Scheme you can opt out at any time by providing us with a signed, written notice. The notice would take effect from the start of the following pay period.
If you have less than three months qualifying service at the time of the Opt Out, you would normally receive a refund of the contributions that you have paid. If you have three months or more you will have the option to transfer accrued rights to another pension arrangement or to take a deferred pension. However you cannot transfer out to a scheme offering flexible benefits or defined contribution schemes.
This is because the Firefighters Pension Scheme is unfunded. Under ‘automatic enrolment’ your fire authority will periodically re-enrol members who have opted out back onto the pension scheme. You can opt out again if you wish.
If you wish to re-join the Firefighters Scheme after opting out you would need to complete a new member form. This would then take effect from the start of the following pay period and you would be placed in the new 2015 scheme.
Annual Benefits Statements?
Your Annual Benefits Statement is a yearly statement detailing the value of your pension benefits at 31 March each year. This is an important document which allows you to see how your pension is growing each year.
Your 2018 statement, for membership to 31 March 2018, will be issued to you by post by 31 August 2018.
We also provide you with a comprehensive explanation of your 2018 Annual Benefits Statement for the Firefighters’ pension schemes for both the Northamptonshire and Cambridgeshire Fire Pension schemes, which can be found on our Forms and Resources page.