Guidance for Pensioners

You must advise the scheme administrators immediately of any change in your permanent address and you must provide details of a current Bank or Building Society account into which your pension may be paid. A delay in doing so could result in late payment of your pension or even the suspension of the payments being made.

A form for the notification of a change of these details is available via the following link click here to access form.

When will my pension be paid?

Pensions are paid monthly in arrears directly into your bank or building society account normally on 28th day of the month.

Will I receive a payslip?

A pay advice slip will be sent when your pension commences. Thereafter, a payslip is normally issued only when there is a change of £1 or more in the amount of net payment due. However, you will receive a payslip in April and May each year detailing the amount of pensions increase.

You will also receive a P60 certificate for tax purposes normally towards the end of May each year.

What is allocation?

When you finally retire and take your pension you have the option to give up part of your pension to provide benefits for another person after your death. This is known as allocation of pension. You may choose to add to the benefits you have already provided for your husband, wife or civil partner, or to provide for another person who is dependent on you.

You need to remember a number of points about allocating part of your pension.

• you give up part of your pension permanently
• you cannot give up more than one third of your pension (sometimes this limit is lower)
• you must make your allocation decision before your pension is put into payment
• you must be in good health (we will need proof)
• you cannot change or cancel the allocation, even if the person who would have received the benefits dies first
• the pension you allocate is payable for life and is not affected if you get married again or enter into a civil partnership

Will my United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority final salary scheme pension be reduced at state pension age?

There will be a slight reduction in your United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority pension when you reach state retirement age if you have service prior to April 1980.

What was the reduction in National Insurance contributions up to March 1980?

During employment up to 31 March 1980 national insurance contributions were reduced, at the rate of 5p a week for men (22p a month) and 6p a week for women (25p a month) and as a result pensions covering this period are slightly reduced.

When did modification cease?

Since 1 April 1980. This means that scheme pensions will be reduced from age 65 for men and age 60 for women only in respect of service occurring up to 31 March 1980.

Who is affected by modification?

Depending on your date of entry to pensionable employment you will be affected by modification as follows:

• Entry between 1 March 1948 and 31 March 1980. 
  You will have paid reduced national contributions up until 31 March 1980. Your annual pension will be reduced, from age 65 for men and age 60 for women, by an amount not exceeding £1.70 for each year of service before 1 April 1980 and proportionately for a part year. Any added years being purchased or any enhancement of service awarded are ignored for the calculation. For example, a male member entering pensionable employment on 1 April 1950 at age 19 would have his annual pension reduced, from age 65, by (30 x £1.70) or £51 per annum.
• Entry on or after 1st April 1980
  Full national insurance contributions are payable and there is no reduction of United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority pension benefits at State retirement age. If you entered the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority scheme on or after 1 April 1980 bringing a transfer value from another scheme, the whole of your service credit granted in the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority scheme will be unmodified even though the pension arising under the previous scheme may have been modified. This may cause a slight reduction of your back service credit.

Will my pension be affected by the National Insurance Graduated Pension Scheme which ceased in 1975?