TLDR: Some helpful bits, but too litttle, too late with NOTHING for AA/LTA
2/ The consultation is expected to be published later this morning
Heres a snapshot of what it covers (and what it doesnt)
3/ The main areas cover 3 main areas
- Some pension flexibilities around retirement only
- Some changes (not enough) to deal with inflation
- minor access changes to PCNs
4/ (1)
Changes to pensionable retirement - i.e. retiring from 1995 pension and being re-employed in 2015 and still earning 2015 benefits (a big deal - weve been asking for this for years)
5/ Previously if you worked beyond 60 you would burn 95 pension as there are no #lateretirementfactors
Now you can conintue to build 2015 pension whilst drawing some of all of your 1995 benefits (but reducing pensionable pay >10%)
6/ This option doesnt of course take pension taxation away, but it does mean for example a member could partially retire if they reached (the now falling in real terms) LTA and continue saving 2015 pension (still subject to AA and LTA; but at least they crystalised some benefits)
7/ Partial retirement will allow drawing 100% of the benefits in 1995 - important so AA issues will only arise from the other scheme not the interaction of schemes.
8/ The 16 hour rule also removed
9/ (2) Next the bits about inflation - or rather fixing the bits they have already announced ignoring #NegativePIAs
As previusly announced this will be done by moving revaluation dates in 2015 / 1995 GP scheme to 6th April
10/ This does help align revluation to the opening value for #CPIdisconnect, but IGNORES the massive problems with #fixnegativePIAs
11/ The failure to address this will leave members MASSIVLEY overpaying AA charges for non-existent growth in 2023/4 and 2024/5 - we will continue to lobby HM Treasury for this
12/ There will also be some small changes to scheme access to allow PCNs staff to acces the NHS pension scheme
13/ All in all there are some positives here - partial retirement & a fix of *some* of the problems relating to inflation #CPIdisconnect but IGNORING issues of inflation related negative PIAs (a *massive deal*).
14/ But crucially whilst this does help those who are peri-retirement, it does *nothing* for mid career doctors punished by unfair punitive AA and LTA taxes. They will continue to reduce activity / retire early to avoid these charges. Still need #taxunregistered#FixTheFinanceAct
15/ 15/ Read the @bma_pensions comment in the Times - "the proposed changes appear to be too little, too late...doctors will continue to receive sky high & completely unexpected tax bills by continuing to provide care for patients, care they desperately need"
18/ According to @willquince "senior staff will no longer feel forced to retire early, ultimately benefiting patients by ensuring their expertise remains in the NHS for longer so we can continue to deliver world-class healthcare."
19/ I disagree - unless & until @DHSCgovuk@hmtreasury recognise the driver of this is the general annual allowance & rapidly reducing lifetime allowance, I am afraid higher earning NHS staff will continue to reduce activity & retire earlier than they might have #TaxUnregistered
1/ NEW & IMPORTANT: Quarterly NHS pay data updated 27/6/24 👇 In BREAKING NEWS NEW charts now show ALL SECTORS have reached #FullPayRestoration (though NOT, of course, the NHS)
2/ You'll notice when ministers are in the media, they often talk about how hard "your viewers/listeners" have been hit by inflation. But what we need to do is separate fact from fiction (aka LIES), it was 👇excellent @jburnmurdoch @FT chart that really showed this well last year
@jburnmurdoch @FT 3/ But its not just government ministers gaslighting NHS workers that they have no right for their pay to keep up (like everyone else's), it was also so-called "independent" DDRB👇
Apparently doctors & dentists should not be protected when "its not taking place in other groups"
2/ You'll notice when ministers are in the media, they often talk about how hard "your viewers/listeners" have been hit by inflation. But what we need to do is separate fact from fiction (aka LIES), it was 👇excellent @jburnmurdoch @FT chart that really showed this well last year
@jburnmurdoch @FT 3/ But its not just government ministers gaslighting NHS workers that they have no right for their pay to keep up (like everyone else's), it was also so-called "independent" DDRB👇
Apparently doctors & dentists should not be protected when "its not taking place in other groups"
1/ *VERY* concerned about the quality & type of information coming to @BMA_Pensions members to allow them to make choices in regards to McCloud.
For members who chose to move to 2008 (so called "choice 2", we saw the first of this information last week - deep dive 🧵
Pls RT
2/ OK first of all, lets rewind. Pre 2008 we were all in the 1995 section. For most members that had a fixed retirement age of 60, and gave us "80ths" of final salary. Work 40 years, get 40/80ths or 1/2 of your final salary. Simple. Back in the day contributions were 5% or 6%
3/ As we all started to live longer, government felt this was unnafordable as we were spending longer in retirement. So they introduced the 2008 scheme
- 1/60th not 1/80ths
- Retire at 65 not 60
- So called "Reckonable" pay - based on best of 3yr in last 10, inflation adjusted
1/ NEW: Consultation response out & confirmaiton of rates 1st April '24 , dropping the 13.5% tier.
Grateful government listened to concerns about feezing the top tier so tiers WILL uplift with CPI, not creating (another) "fiscal drag" for higher earners
2/ This repesents a change from previously announced where tiers were to be uplifts of AFC awards (largest employee group). I had suggested a "double lock" of greater of CPI or announced awards, which was supported by the scheme board, but sadly rejected by government
3/ @BMA_Pensions again raised concerns that the @nhs_pensions has a higher contribution rate than many public sector schemes, and has the steepest structure.
We continue believe it should be much flatter, or flat, in a CARE scheme will all paying the same for the same £1 pension
1/ NEW & BREAKING: @instituteforgov supported in analysis by @CIPFA issue an UPDATED pay erosion chart for NHS workers including @TheBMA doctors & @theRCN nurses👇
WHY is this so relevant: This now includes pay data released in '24 to Sept '23 INCLUDING 6/12 of 23/24 pay awads
- pay erosion in NHS from austerity
- uses CPI preferred by gvmnt & some economists
- crucially shows 6/12 effect of DDRB 23/24- starting basis for all pay deals (i.e. not a lot)
@RobLaurensonD4P @_VivekTrivedi @TheBMA @BMA_Consultants @BMA_JuniorDocs @Doctors_Vote 3/ So this chart uses the latest available data (released in 2024) includes the latest pay deals
Despite this @BMA_JuniorDocs down a STAGGERING 25.0% in real terms
REMEMBER: This is using CPI, not RPI, which would produce a higher figure (RPI includes mortgage interest etc)
1/ *Deeply* worrying from @RishiSunak @10DowningStreet on @bbclaurak
Watch the clip in full 👇and pick out the blatant untruths - its so unbelievable they went unchallenged Laura K?
Apparently "The government has now reached resolution with every other part of the NHS. ....
2/ "Nurses, midwives, paramedics, consultant doctors, specialty doctors most recently. "
"So EVERY other part of the NHS workforce, and I'm grateful to them for everything they're doing, has reached a resolution with the government on a reasonable, fair pay settlement. "
3/ According to our PM
"The only people that haven't are the junior doctors."
How can this go unchallanged?
To be clear @BMA_Consultants (nor @BMA_SAS) have *NOT* "reached a resolution with government on a "reasonable, fair pay settlement"