If you are unable to work due to ill health or incapacity, you may be able to apply for ill health retirement. Your application would need to be supported by your employer and you would need to provide medical evidence from your treating doctor or consultant who would also need to support your application.
The Trustee will review your application and medical evidence and will contact your HR department to confirm if the application has been approved. It is possible that they may require further medical information in order to make their decision.
Your ill health early retirement pension is calculated using the same formula as for normal retirement benefits but using final pensionable earnings and pensionable service to the date of early retirement. Generally, the following reduction is applied to pensions when members retire on ill health directly from the Company's employment:
- Pension in respect of Pensionable Service before 6 April 2010 is reduced by 1/6% for each month or part month that the pension starts before Normal Pension Age (age 60 for members who joined before 1 January 1993 and age 65 for members who joined after this date);
- Pension in respect of Pensionable Service from 6 April 2010 is reduced by not more than 1/6% for each month or part month that the pension starts before Normal Retirement Date (your 65th birthday)
Although no reduction is applied if the Trustee has evidence that the incapacity makes it impossible for the member to ever to resume his or her job or any other trade, profession or occupation of any nature.