Blog

03
Apr

NI Public Service Pensions Bill

THIS June it is expected that the Northern Ireland Public Service Pensions Bill currently being studied by the Finance and Personnel Committee at Stormont will be introduced.

 

This bill is designed to facilitate the public sector Career Average Earnings Pension Schemes which will replace the existing Final Salary Pension schemes and to automatically link the public sector pension age to the State Pension Age.

 

By 2020, the State Pension Age will have risen to 66. By 2026, it will be 67. The State Pension Age will then be subject to a review every five years.

 

It is clear that the Assembly parties have been told that if these changes are not introduced, Northern Ireland’s Block Grant will be reduced by £262 million yearly.

 

UNISON NI is currently working with the Irish Congress of Trade Unions to oppose this bill. We are also working through a review of the NILGOSC pension scheme which covers ELB staff and will be subject to the same changes. We will be preparing information on this in due course, which we will then circulate to all relevant branches.