Thank you for your request for information about the following:

Request

‘1. The number of cases passed to the Substitution Awards Team by month

2. The number of cases resolved by the Substitution Awards Team by month

3. The average time for a case to be resolved by the Substitution Awards Team for 2024 and 2025 YTD

4. The shortest time in days for a case to be resolved by the Substitution Awards Team for 2024 and 2025 YTD

5. The longest time in days for a case to be resolved by the Substitution Awards Team for 2024 and 2025 YTD

6. The average number of Whole Time Equivalents (WTE) employed within the Substitution Awards Team for 2024 and 2025 YTD

7. The total number of new pension applications received by month by NHSBSA

8. The total number of new Ill Health Retirement applications received by month by NHSBSA

9. Any policies, procedures, SOPs etc related to the Substitution Awards Team’

[On 19 December 2025 you clarified your request as follows]

‘Q1: Please provide the number of substitute awards received by the team

Q2, Q4 and Q5: Please provide cases processed, where additional benefits are paid, or some alternative outcome is reached

Q6: Please provide substitute awards for all member types by group i.e. all staff involved in the substitute award process

Q7: Please provide the number of applications for the payment of pension benefits

Q8: Please provide the number of applications for the payment of ill health retirement benefits once entitlement has been established’

The NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) received your request on 6 December 2025, with clarification received on 19 December 2025.

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

Our response

I can confirm that the NHSBSA holds the information you have requested.

Please note that information is based on individual cases received and processed; members may have multiple applications over the period in scope.

Days elapsed is based on calendar days between the date of notification and the completion date of the case processing. This may not reflect internal or external performance indicators.

Question 1 - The number of cases passed to the Substitution Awards Team by month

Question 2 - The number of cases resolved by the Substitution Awards Team by month

Question 7 - The total number of new pension applications received by month by NHSBSA

Question 8 - The total number of new Ill Health Retirement applications received by month by NHSBSA

A copy of the data is attached.

File name, FOI_03438_Q1_Q2_Q7_Q8.

Question 3 - The average time for a case to be resolved by the Substitution Awards Team for 2024 and 2025 YTD

Question 4 - The shortest time in days for a case to be resolved by the Substitution Awards Team for 2024 and 2025 YTD

Question 5 - The longest time in days for a case to be resolved by the Substitution Awards Team for 2024 and 2025 YTD

A copy of the data is attached.

File name, FOI_03438_Q3_Q4_Q5.

Question 6 - The average number of Whole Time Equivalents (WTE) employed within the Substitution Awards Team for 2024 and 2025 YTD

In 2024 the WTE was 36.05.

In 2025 the WTE was 32.39.

Question 9 - Any policies, procedures, SOPs etc related to the Substitution Awards Team

A copy of the data is attached.

Please note that we are currently developing an improvement plan for sub-awards, which may lead to changes in policies and procedures.

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 2026”. 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.