Pensions

Our dedicated Pension team specialises in all aspects of the NHS Pension schemes, local government and alternative pension scheme providing a full-service including retirement applications and a ‘Hire to Retire’ benefits service.

Our team of subject matter experts work with ESR and Pensions Online, as well as the contact points within your HR, Payroll and Finance teams to answer and resolve queries from your workforce effectively and efficiently.

ELFS cover all aspects of Pensions Administration in line with Statutory Legislation and Scheme Regulations including:-

• Joiners/Leavers • Refunds • Monthly Contribution Re-band/Reconciliation • MHO/special class
• Auto-enrolment/Re-enrolment • Retirements (all types)
• Sub-Awards • Death Benefits/Commutation • Redundancy
• Greenbury • Pension Assurance Statements • Transfers
• Increasing Benefits • Pensions on Divorce • Nominations
• McCloud Judgement • Lifetime Allowance/Annual Allowance
• Final Pay Controls • On-going Data Cleanse
• Estimates where required • NEST

Looking to retire?

Our Pensions Team are significantly experienced in the Retirement process and deal with a high volume of retirements through the NHS Pensions process.

These include pension applications relating to Age & VER retirements, Incapacity, Redundancy & MARS cases and ‘Death in Service’ situations.

Staff are advised to view their Total Reward Statement via ESR self-service for an indication of their expected benefits, to use the Calculator for Voluntary early retirement on the NHS Pensions website or to liaise with the pensions team who will provide support for retirement estimates.

On our Payroll Portal, we offer an easy to complete AW8 form submission for employees to advise the Pensions team of their pending retirement. In line with NHS Pension guidelines this is requested four months prior to NHS retirement.

For general Pension applications, our team then issue the AW8 Pension application by email, together with the relevant instructions and guides. We will endeavour to keep employee updated by email at all stages through the retirement process.

Want to opt out?

Should an employee wish to stop contributing to a pension scheme they would need to opt out. For staff in the NHS Pension scheme, they would need to complete the opt out form available on the NHS Pensions agency website and on receipt, the member is opted out of the scheme from the start of the next available pay period. If you wish a refund you will need to have been in the NHS Pension scheme less that 2 years and you will need to complete a separate form, RF12 to apply for a refund, available on the NHS Pension website.

NHS Pensions scheme website

All information on the NHS Pension scheme including scheme guides, opts out etc. can be found online at https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/nhs-pensions