The Ministry of Defence have asked that we share the following communications:
“In order to implement the McCloud Retrospective remedy, the MOD will undertake a public consultation which details the changes to be made to the Armed Forces Pension Scheme Regulations and the effect on members’ pensions. The consultation document will provide an explanation of the remedy policies and the legislation which are required to be in place by 1 October 2023. This includes rolling back all members in scope for the remedy to their legacy pension schemes, for their service in the remedy period (1 April 2015 to 31 March 2022), and implementing the Deferred Choice Underpin (DCU). The DCU will allow members to choose pension benefits (legacy scheme, or AFPS15 equivalent benefits), they wish to receive for the remedy period at the time of leaving service when their benefits (including Early Departure Payment) are due to come into payment. Members who have already left with pensions in payment will be asked to make their choice as soon as practicable after 1 October 2023.
The consultation will apply to the Regular and Reserve UK Armed Forces personnel who were in pensionable Service on or before 31 March 2012 and on or after 1st April 2015 and do not have a gap in Service longer than 5 years.
The consultation is set to be published early February 2023 and will run for 12 weeks. Views are encouraged from Serving Personnel and Veterans. More details on how to respond will be published soon on the 2015 Remedy on Defence Connect Page, Defnet and Gov.uk. Once the consultation is launched, a series of briefings will be held on the retrospective remedy. More information on dates and timings will be released soon.
If you have any general queries, please contact people-afpension-mccloud@mod.gov.uk. Please note, this should not be used to ask for financial advice, to request access to personal information or for pension forecasts as we will be unable to provide that detail.“
The Society will be responding as part of the consultation process, and would encourage our members who are in-scope for the remedy to also engage with it.
