Please use the details on the contacts page. When contacting the administration office about your Scheme pension, please be ready to provide information to confirm your identity, for example your National Insurance Number and date of birth.

Data Protection

In order to provide the new administration services, it is necessary to transfer your pension information to EQ. All information will be processed in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998 and will be used for no other purpose.

If you have any queries regarding the tax on your UK Atomic Energy Authority pension, you should contact the HM Revenue and Customs office using the details on the contacts page, quoting the reference number 961/930210X and your own personal National Insurance number.

The scheme administrators must deduct tax from your pension in accordance with the tax code supplied by HM Inspector of Taxes.

If you live abroad your pension payments can be paid directly into a bank overseas

Please contact the scheme administrators for information regarding  payment.

What if I marry after I retire?

The Social Security Pension Act 1975, which took effect on 6 April 1978, requires all public service occupational pension schemes, like the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority schemes, to pay a widow’s or widower’s pension when a member dies and leaves a widow or widower, irrespective of when the marriage took place. This only applies in respect of pensionable service on or after 6 April 1978 (men) or 6 April 1988 (women). Therefore widows or widowers of United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority pensioners, who marry after they retire, will be entitled to a widow’s or widower’s pension based only on the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority reckonable service since 6 April 1978 (men) or 6 April 1988 (women).

This aspect of the scheme is often misunderstood, so if it applies to you please make sure your spouse is aware of the implications.

What if I am receiving a widow's or widower's pension and I remarry or begin to live with another person as husband or wife?

A spouse's pension (including a pension payable to the partner of a deceased member who have entered into a civil ceremony) is payable for life or until marriage or co-habitation.  If a person receiving a spouse's pension remarries or begins to live with another person as husband or wife or enters into a civil ceremony with a same sex partner, the spouse's pension in most cases will be restricted or cease to be paid.  The original spouse's pension may be reinstated if the new relationship comes to an end.  Recipients of a spouse's pension must inform the scheme administrators if the circumstances giving eligibility to the spouse's pension as outlined above.  Failure to notify the scheme administrators immediately could lead to an overpayment of pension which the scheme administrators will seek to recover in full. 

The Courts have powers to take account of an individual’s pension benefits in divorce settlements in one of two ways. They can make an earmarking order or a pension sharing order.

An information leaflet about the possible effect of divorce on pensions is available here.

How do the scheme administrators check that I am still eligible to receive a pension?

You may occasionally be asked to provide evidence that you are still alive and entitled to receive your UK Atomic Energy Authority scheme pension. This may include completion of a Life Certificate which the scheme administrators may send to you for completion. Separately, the scheme administrators regularly compare the Scheme's pensioner payroll with official databases. The purpose of these checks is to quickly identify any scheme pensioners who may have died and so prevent or minimise any overpayment of pension. Where an overpayment does occur the administrators will take steps to recover an overpayment. 

What if I am re-employed in the public service?

If you are considering taking up employment with another public service organisation you should mention to your prospective employer that you are receiving a United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority pension. Within the public service there is an abatement rule that indicates that the aggregate of the individual's new salary and their pension from a public service pension scheme should not exceed their pre-retirement salary. However, the rules are complex and this will not be the case in all public service organisations, but it is advisable to check the position before agreeing to take up the appointment.

What should I tell my next of kin?

Entitlement to your pension ceases on your death. It cannot pass to any other person. You should ensure that your next of kin or another representative is aware that in the event of your death they should contact the scheme administrators immediately to avoid an overpayment of pension. Your bank should also be notified immediately, so that they are aware that no further pension payments to you can be accepted.

Once the death has been registered a copy of the death certificate should be forwarded to the scheme administrators. They will then be able to ensure that any spouse's, including a civil partner's benefits are paid promptly. Your spouse, including a civil partner will receive a pension for life or until remarriage or cohabitation.

For detail of the benefits payable in the event of death after retirement.

All pensions payable from the UK Atomic Energy Authority pension schemes are increased to keep pace with price inflation measured by the prices index appropriate for each year.  Increases are normally applied in April each year.

For further information about Pensions Increase click here and for Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) click here.

Who is eligible to receive children's pensions?

Children's pensions are payable to children under 17 years of age.  A child's pension may continue after the age 17 provided the child remains in full time education.  Children's pensions are not payable beyond the age of 23.  It is a requirement of the scheme that children's pensions in payment beyond the age of 17 are reviewed annually and a certificate confirming continued entitlement is obtained and sent to the scheme administrators.

Do I have to be the parent of the child for them to receive benefits from the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority pension scheme?

Normally the pension would be payable to the children of the deceased member. However, there is provision in the pension scheme rules for children’s pensions to be paid to certain children that are related to and who were financially dependent upon the member prior to his death.

Pension Payments

In practice the pension payments in respect of young children are paid to the member’s widow/widower or the child’s guardian. In respect of older children, who have their own bank accounts, the pension payments are made directly to the child.

How much do the children receive from the scheme?

If the spouse has care of the eligible children, their pensions will be payable from the date on which the widow(er)'s annual pension starts and will be equal to a quarter of your pension for each of the eldest two children at any one time, making a total of half of your pension payable in respect of any two children. If you have eligible children who are not in the care of your spouse, pensions may be payable to them but different limits may then apply.

What happens when the children are no longer eligible to receive a pension?

Each child’s pension is treated separately and when each child that receives a United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority pension completes their full time education or ceases to be eligible the scheme administrators should be told immediately to avoid the need to recover overpayments.

Supplementary Lump Sum

If you die shortly after retirement a supplementary lump sum may normally be paid equal to 5 years' worth of your pension less the pension payments you have already received and the lump sum previously paid to you. This does not affect entitlement to a widow(er)'s pension.

There will be occasions when you have a query about the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority pension scheme. The first step to resolve a query is to contact the scheme administrators and in the majority of cases they will be able to clarify the position quickly. But where this cannot be achieved the Scheme has in place an Internal Disputes Resolution Procedure.

To view a copy of the full procedure, click here:

Internal Disputes Resolution Procedure

MoneyHelper

MoneyHelper can be contacted to assist you or your beneficiaries with any pensions query you may have, particularly if you have a dispute or disagreement with the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority pension administrators, which you wish to or have raised under the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority scheme’s own Internal Disputes Resolution Procedure. The MoneyHelper website contains useful information, and you can contact them via web chat or by completing an online form here:

https://www.moneyhelper.org.uk/

Alternatively, you can call them on 0800 011 3797.

The Pensions Ombudsman

If MoneyHelper is unable to resolve any problems, then you can contact the Pensions Ombudsman. The Ombudsman is able to investigate and determine any complaint or dispute of fact or law relating to pension schemes. However, in respect of the CPS, which is a statutory scheme, the Ombudsman is empowered to determine any complaint alleging injustice as a result of maladministration in connection with any act or omission of those responsible for administration of the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority pension schemes.

For details of how to contact The Pensions Ombudsman, please click here:

https://www.pensions-ombudsman.org.uk/