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Which categories of public sector employees are able to retire earlier than 65 and receive a full pension

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WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE CHIEF MINISTER BY CONNÉTABLE OF ST. JOHN

ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON TUESDAY 5th JULY 2011

Question

Would the Minister please advise which categories of employees in the public sector are able to retire earlier than 65 and receive a full pension?

Can he also advise what extra percentage is paid as an employer contribution for these employees on top of the amount paid for employees whose normal retirement age is 65 and advise the total cost to the public purse annually of these additional contributions?

Answer

Under the Public Employees Contributory Retirement Scheme (PECRS) there are four different schemes. Within the differing scheme Regulations there are various categories, i.e. Uniformed Members (Category A and Category B) and Non-Uniformed Members. Please note Category A refers to front line uniformed Members such as Police Officers, Fire-Fighters, Prison Officers, Paramedics, whilst Category B covers the Senior Officers of those services.

Table 1 below  details normal retiring age, optional retiring age and maximum pensionable service allowed in order to receive a full pension.

 

Table 1

1967 Regulations

Former Hospital Scheme (FHS)

Existing Members

New Members

New Members (2006 Regulations)

Normal  retiring age

65 (males) 60 (females)

65 (males) 60 (females)

65  (males and females)

65  (males and females)

65  (males  and females)

Optional retirement age

Any  time  up  to five  years  before normal  retiring age subject to 10 years'  reckonable service

Any time up to five  years before  normal retiring  age subject  to  10 years' reckonable service

Any time up to five years before normal retiring  age subject to 10 years' pensionable service

Any time up to five years before normal retiring  age subject to 10 years' pensionable service

Any  time  up to five years  before  normal retiring  age. Members who opt to retire  before  normal retiring age have their pension  reduced  by (currently)  2.4%  for each year the pension is being taken early

Maximum pensionable service allowed

45 years

45 years

45 years

45 years

45 years

Table 2 below details the PECRS Category A and Category B normal retiring age, optional retiring age and maximum pensionable service allowed in order to receive a full pension.

 

Table 2

1967 Regulations Category A/B

Former Hospital Scheme (FHS)

Existing Members Category A/B

New Members Category A/B

New Members (2006 Regulations) Category A/B

Normal  retiring age

Cat A age 55 Cat B age 60

N/A

Cat A age 55 Cat B age 60

Cat A age 55 Cat B age 60

Members  who became  Cat  A members on or after 1 March  2009  no longer  have  the option of taking early retirement before age 55  the  normal retirement age

Optional retirement age

Cat A age 50 Cat B age 55

N/A

Cat A age 50 Cat B age 55

Cat A age 50 Cat B age 55

Cat A age 55 Cat B age 55

Maximum pensionable service allowed

35 years

N/A

35 years

35 years

35 years

Under  the  Jersey  Teacher's  Superannuation  Fund  (JTSF)  there  are  two  different  schemes, Existing Members and New Members.

Table 3 below details normal retiring age, optional retiring age and maximum pensionable service allowed in order to receive a full pension under the Jersey Teachers Superannuation Fund (JTSF).

 

Table 3

JTSF

Existing Members

JTSF

New Members

Normal retiring age

Not defined in the Regulations

Age 65

Optional retirement age

Age 60

(Subject to 2 years' service) (Before 1 April 2007 subject to 5 years service)

Subject to 2 years service - any time up to five years  before  normal  retiring  age.  Members who opt to retire before normal retiring age have their pension reduced by (currently) 2.4% for each year the pension is being taken early.

Maximum pensionable service allowed

45 years

(A limitation on pensionable service means that service cannot count if more than 45 years in total or more than 40 years service before age 60).

45 years

Question

Can he also advise what extra percentage is paid as an employer contribution for these employees on top of the amount paid for employees whose normal retirement age is 65 and advise the total cost to the public purse annually of these additional contributions?

Answer

In terms of the PECRS the same percentage is paid for all employees, currently 13.6% this covers all categories of staff within PECRS. The employer also pays an additional 2% based on a figure capitalised as at 2001 for the Pre-1987 Debt.

The Employer contribution rate for the JTSF is currently 16.4% which includes an amount agreed with the actuaries in order to service the Pre-2007 Debt. Again this is a global rate and covers all JTSF members.