Request

I know people with NHS pensions can increase the size of their pension. They can do this by:

a single one-off payment (lump sum) regular monthly payments for an agreed period

For each of the past six tax years, can you tell me the number and proportion of scheme members that opted to a) Make a single-one-off payment and b) made regular monthly payments?

For the single one off payments, can you tell me the number that were over £5,000 and the number that were over £8,000?

Your request was clarified with the following points:

• The size of a pension refers to the Additional Pension (AP)

https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/member-hub/increasing-your-pension/additional-pension

• Members are to be counted in any year they have made payments.

• If a member has made a payment over £8,000 they will be included in both columns.

• If a member was to have multiple APs and paid multiple different lump sums, they will be included accumulatively (one amount)

The NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) received your clarified request on 16 October 2024.

We have handled your request under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) 2000.

Our response

I can confirm that the NHSBSA holds the information you have requested and a copy of the information and notes explaining it is attached.

Please read the below notes to ensure correct understanding of the data. The spreadsheet columns show:

A- Year End - the year in which the tax year concludes

B- Total Instalments - the unique volume of members who have made an Additional Pension payment as an instalment, split by tax year

C- Percentage Instalments - the proportion of instalments against the total members who made a payment in each tax year

D- Total Lump Sums - the unique volume of members who have made an Additional Pension payment as a lump sum, split by tax year

E- Percentage Lump Sums - the proportion of lump sums against the total members who made a payment in each tax year

F- Total Lump Sums Over £5k - the total unique members who had made a lump sum payment equal to or exceeding 5000 in each tax year

G- Total Lump Sums Over £8k - the total unique members who had made a lump sum payment equal to or exceeding 8000 in each tax year

All members who have made an Additional Pension payment between 1 April 2018 and 31 March 2024 are in scope, irrespective of if the contract was commenced in that timeframe, or if the contract was subsequently cancelled and/or refunded.

Those with multiple payments in the same year have the amount combined into a single figure prior to assessment.

Members who made both an instalment payment and a lump sum payment in the same year are counted in both respective groups.

Members who have a lump sum amount in excess of £8,000 are also counted as having a lump sum in excess of £5,000.

Members with open contracts, but who have made no payments in the respective year, are not counted in the volumes.

Data Queries

Please contact foirequests@nhsbsa.nhs.uk ensuring you quote the above reference if you have any specific questions regarding this response; or, if you feel you may be misunderstanding or misinterpreting the information; or, if you plan on publishing the data.

Reusing the data and copyright

If you plan on producing a press or broadcast story based upon the data please contact communicationsteam@nhsbsa.nhs.uk. This is important to ensure that the figures are not misunderstood or misrepresented.

The information supplied to you continues to be protected by the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 and is subject to NHSBSA copyright. This information is licenced under the terms of the Open Government Licence detailed at:

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/

Should you wish to re-use the information you must include the following statement: “NHSBSA Copyright 2024” Failure to do so is a breach of the terms of the licence.

Information you receive which is not subject to NHSBSA Copyright continues to be protected by the copyright of the person, or organisation, from which the information originated. Please obtain their permission before reproducing any third party (non NHSBSA Copyright) information.