The Home Office has published the government’s formal response to the McCloud / Sargeant remedy consultation on the draft Firefighters Pensions (Remediable Service) Regulations 2023 and policy intent to implement the retrospective phase of the McCloud / Sargeant remedy.
The consultation response is available at:
www.gov.uk/government/consultations/firefighters-pension-scheme-retrospective-remedy
The finalised Firefighters Pensions (Remediable Service) Regulations 2023 were laid in Parliament on 20 July 2023. They will come into force from 1 October 2023.
The regulations can read at:
Background
On 28 February 2023, the government launched the consultation on the draft Firefighters’ Pensions (Remediable Service) Regulations 2023 to address the provisions needed to implement the second phase of the McCloud / Sargeant remedy (retrospective remedy).
The Home Office has published a summary of the responses to the consultation, which will make provisions to remove the effect of the transitional protections in place between 1 April 2015 and 31 March 2022 (‘the remedy period’) and implement provisions for a deferred choice underpin (DCU). The DCU will give members a choice of pension benefits at their point of retirement or when the benefit comes into payment in respect of the remedy period, which is the period during which discrimination took place. Eligible members will be able to choose to receive legacy pension scheme benefits or benefits equivalent to those available under the 2015 reformed scheme for service during the remedy period.
If you have any queries, please email: firepensionspublicservicepensionsremedy@homeoffice.gov.uk