1/ As one of the leading experts on pension taxation in NHS I've personally reached out to @trussliz@RishiSunak with my thoughts on this existential threat to the NHS & solutions
If you want #TalkToTony I'd be happy to explain this complex issue.
Read 👇& RT if you agree
2/ I start by explaining in detail how about tax relief in the NHS is *not* the same as the private sector, nor is it the same as other public sector schemes
3/ Much of the general problem has been explained many times, including in the recent excellent @CommonsHealth report that correctly concluded that "It is a NATIONAL SCANDAL that senior doctors are being forced to reduce their working contribution"
4/ But even in the short time since the evidence for that report was collected, things are now moving exponentially with rapidly rising inflation causing issues with #CPIdisconnect#NegativePIAs & the very urgent need to #FixTheFinanceAct as raised recently by @DrDanPoulter
5/ Whilst issues with the Annual Allowance are central to the NHS pension crisis, rapidly rising inflation is now also destroying the Lifetime Allowance at unpredented rates. Ultimately we need a long term solution like offered to the judiciary #taxunregistered
6/ There are solutions. But government need to listen to people that understand this highly complex issue. Time is running out to fix this. Your urgent intervention is required before patient safety is further compromised by these absurdly unfair and ill conceived taxes.
Pls RT
7/ Read the letter in full below (with some minor corrections / typos)
1/ NEW🕵️🧵: Good question from @wesstreeting but Im not so sure I understand the response from @mariacaulfield & perhaps more worryingly the response appears to me to be somewhat discrepant from previously published data by @DHSCgovuk
Pls share widely/RT
2/ This table is included in the response splits it into "age" and "early" retirement which the Minister describes as:
"Age retirements" are taken at or beyond 60 years old
"Voluntary early retirements" are taken before the age of 60 years old
3/ But this data also appears in the @DHSCgovuk to DDRB for example here for GPs starting at page 125 of
As you know Ive been asking publically & privately if you could PLEASE make the TRS slightly less useless?
Here's why you need to change it, & quickly (please RT if you agree)
2/ Average retirement age in the NHS is somewhere around 59-60, and falling. We have had the 2015 scheme for 7 years, and now everyone is in it. What is the point of ONLY showing pension benefits at full retirement age/SPA, AND when those retirement ages are different?
3/ We were promised a pension portal by June 2020, and that's not happened. COVID obviously set things back, but seriously, why are we still waiting?
1/ RANT🧵: don't normally bite at complete trash published by @Telegraph on public sector pensions but @Jessica__Beard this one is taking the p*$% - I think some people- even telegraph readers - might be more interested in funding the NHS properly *and* fixing potholes/libraries?
2/ Not entirely sure where the quoted "there is currently a funding shortfall of £4.8bn a year, and the taxpayer has to pick up the bill" has come from - last time I looked at NHS pension accounts, a £3.64b surplus flowed back to treasury?
3/ And as for your "experts" like @Pension_Helen@HLInvest "When you pay tax you like to think that it goes towards things that everyone gets use of, like libraries or road repairs, but that’s not the case with these pensions."
1/22 Short🧵 on a free new "McCloud" calculator for most NHS staff👇
You may have preconceived ideas about "McCloud" or worse still, don't know what it is! This tool should help you explain what it is, & how McCloud might affect YOU, for example if a doc or a nurse. Pls shr/RT
2/22 So to introduce the concepts around the "McCloud" judgment, and see an introduction to the modeller, watch this short video
3/22 So to use this tool you will need
- March pay slips
- A total reward (TRS) or annual benefit statement
"Its a NATIONAL SCANDAL that senior doctors are being forced to reduce their working contribution to the NHS or to leave it entirely because of NHS pension arrangements"
Highlights & my analysis. Pls read to end & share/RT👇.
2/30 A huge thanks to @Jeremy_Hunt@drlukeevans@rosie4westlancs & colleagues at @CommonsHealth for this really important report released today. Some vital recognition of problems relating to punitive pension tax & recommendations re pensions. Please read all carefully to end.
3/30 First & foremost is recognition that
1) Its a "national scandal" doctors forced to reduce hours or leave it because of NHS pension taxation 2) Crucially, the problem persists *despite* changing the taper rate of the annual allowance.
1/ Pleasing to wake up this morning to news that - FINALLY - were hearing about the NHS in the leadership contest for our next PM. Similarly pleasing to see the word crisis. As for the NHS, crisis is very much where we are. Some tips @RishiSunak
2/ Lets look in a bit more detail. "From day one of being in office I'm going to put us on a crisis footing." - OK as above - this is a welcome step. Snr NHS leaders have been reluctant to use the word "crisis" when asked in recent weeks by @Jeremy_Hunt
3/ Now onto the detail. @RishiSunak "promise to accelerate NHS targets to cut waiting lists". Great, but the problem is not a lack of targets. We have targets we are not acheiving. These are predicted to get *very* much worse, perhaps reaching 14.6m👇