From 1 October 2022 a number of changes are being made to the NHS Pension Scheme, most notably the pension tiers and corresponding employee contribution rates. The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) says its intention is to smooth the progression between tiers and avoid large jumps in contributions, although some Scheme members will end up paying more.
Contribution rates will no longer be based on FTE earnings, which will affect Scheme members who work less than full time. A summary of these changes and others being made can be found on the NHS Employers website.
The BMA represents doctors in NHS Pension Scheme negotiations and their guidance can be found here. Locum GPs will need to resume submitting A and B forms within 10 weeks of completing a session, the BMA has pension information specifically for locums here.
We have collated the outgoing tiers and contributions with the incoming ones below. Each outgoing tier is next to the nearest comparable new tier(s) for illustrative purposes only, they are not being presented by the DHSC as like-for-like replacements.
| Outgoing tiers | Incoming tiers | From October 2022 | From 2023 (month TBC) | |
| Up to £15,431.99 | 5.0% | Up to £13,246 | 5.1% | 5.2% |
| £13,247 to £16,831 | 5.7% | 6.5% | ||
| £15,432 to £21,477 | 5.6% | £16,832 to £22,878 | 6.1% | 6.5% |
| £21,478 to £26,823 | 7.1% | £22,879 to £23,948 | 6.8% | 6.5% |
| £23,949 to £28,223 | 7.7% | 8.3% | ||
| £26,824 to £47,845 | 9.3% | £28,224 to £29,179 | 8.8% | 8.3% |
| £29,180 to £43,805 | 9.8% | 9.8% | ||
| £43,806 to £49,245 | 10.0% | 10.7% | ||
| £47,846 to £70,630 | 12.5% | £49,246 to £56,163 | 11.6% | 10.7% |
| £56,164 to £72,030 | 12.5% | 12.5% | ||
| £70,631 to £111,376 | 13.5% | £72,031 and above | 13.5% | 12.5% |
| £111,377 and above | 14.5% | – | – | – |