The changes proposed by the respective Ministers that are being facilitated by my Department will enhance the options available to members of the uniformed services, and allow them to remain in service for longer if they choose to do so, and will assist in recruiting and retaining valuable expertise.
My officials are now at an advanced stage of drafting the legislation to enact these changes and are working with colleagues in other relevant departments to progress this through all stages of the legislative process as quickly as possible.
A change to the eligibility criteria for the supplementary pension is not being considered as part of the changes to the mandatory retirement age.
It is worth noting however, that entitlement to supplementary pensions to persons in paid employment is on a pro-rata basis. If, for instance, an individual in receipt of an occupational supplementary pension takes up part-time employment one day a week, the occupational supplementary pension would cease for that one day and be payable for the other 4 working days in the week, similar to how an entitlement to Jobseeker’s Benefit is treated. A pro-rated occupational supplementary pension is based on number of days during which the pensioner is not employed, rather than monetary amount earned, e.g. if an individual in receipt of an occupational supplementary pension takes up employment for 1 day a week, the occupational supplementary pension would be payable at 80% (i.e. 4/5th), rather than ceasing in its entirety. The onus is on the individual to notify their pension paying authority should there be any change in their employment status.
