What are your NHS Pension benefits?

As a NHS doctor and a member of the NHS Pension Scheme you are entitled to a number of valuable additional benefits such as sick pay, life insurance and an ill health retirement pension.

It is important to note that the sick pay and ill health pension are dependent on your superannuated salary and the number of years service that you have accumulated and therefore the benefit is limited in the early years of your career. To enhance your existing benefits see our section on doctors income protection.

NHS Sick Pay

Your NHS sick pay benefits are phased in over a 6 year period from when you join the NHS Pension Scheme. The maximum benefit accrued after 6 whole years of service is 6 months leave on full pay and a further 6 months leave at half pay.

This table shows you how your NHS sick pay benefits are phased in.

 
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NHS Life Cover

As a member of the NHS Pension Scheme you are afforded life cover at the rate of two times your salary. However, the life cover is non-attributable meaning that if a mortgage provider requires life cover as a condition of your loan they will not take your NHS life insurance into account.

Foundation Doctors

Your salary is split into two elements, your basic salary and your on-call allowance. Your NHS Pension Scheme life insurance is calculated at the rate of twice your basic salary.

Consultants

A large part of your salary will be superannuated, and therefore will provide you with a higher level of life cover. There are parts of your salary that may not be superannuated such as extra programmed activities.

General Practitioners

Your life cover will be based on your career average re-valued earnings. This can be difficult to predict particularly if you are in the latter stages of your career.

NHS Critical Illness Cover

The NHS pension scheme does not provide critical illness cover.
 
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NHS Ill Health Pension

This benefit can commence after your sick pay ceases however there is no guarantee that an ill health pension will be granted as it is paid at the discretion of NHS Pensions and their medical advisers. An ill health pension could come into force if you are unable to work through sickness or illness.  The amount you would receive is dependant upon your superannuated salary and the number of years service you have completed. The NHS offer enhancements to your service if you have completed at least 5 full years service.

Foundation Doctors

If you have less than 2 years service then you have no eligibility. You become eligible for enhancements after 5 years service. This will be calculated on your basic salary alone.

Consultants

As you are likely to have completed in the region of 10 year’s service the enhancements combined with a higher superannuated income could be a reasonable ill health pension. If you have part time service, or worked as a maximum part time consultant this will affect your year’s service, and ultimately your ill health pension.

General Practitioners

The ill health pension will be based on your career re-valued earnings and your years service. An estimate may be acquired upon the provision of specified information, this may then be used as a guide. Accurate information can be gained from the pensions agency. A draft letter for requesting this information is available on request.
 
 
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See our ill health pension Frequently asked questions

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