Appendix 3: Ill-health early retirement

Subject to certain qualifying conditions, employees who are current members of the LGPS, TSS or USS may be granted a pension in the event of permanent ill-health which prevents the employee from continuing in employment. Full details of the relevant conditions are provided in the appropriate pension scheme guide books.

In the event of an employee initiating an application for ill-health early retirement or following a recommendation from the Occupational Health Advisor, the following procedure will be followed:

  • The employee will meet the Line Manager and the Link People Manager and the procedure and likely timescales will be explained. It will be made clear that the application will not be approved automatically and that approval is dependent on the Trustees of the appropriate pension scheme accepting the medical evidence as part of the employee’s long-term inability to continue in the type of paid employment for which they were engaged.
  • An application for ill-health early retirement will normally be supported by the university only after other possibilities (e.g. re-deployment) have been investigated and exhausted.
  • The Occupational Health Advisor will consult with the employee and obtain the employee’s consent to approach his/her GP and/or consultant. At least one medical report from an independent registered medical practitioner approved by an administering authority is required by the trustees of the pension scheme in order to consider a request for ill-health early retirement. Medical reports will be kept confidential and only released to the trustees of the appropriate pension scheme or to other persons with the written consent of the employee.
  • The Link People Manager will forward the medical report and application form to the relevant trustees.
  • Once the Link People Manager has received a decision from the trustees she/he will inform the employee and Line Manager of the outcome. In the event of the application being approved the Link People Manager will consult with the employee and finalise arrangements for retirement.
  • If the application is not accepted then the Link People Manager will inform the employee and advise him/her of the right to lodge an appeal under the relevant pension dispute procedure which can be found in the appropriate pension scheme guide book.

In certain circumstances the University may, under the Capability procedure, decide to dismiss an employee who is medically incapable of remaining in employment. Before taking this course of action all other options (e.g. job modification, redeployment) will be explored.

Updated May 2011