Overview
Managing your NHS Pension Scheme membership during periods away from work, such as maternity leave, sickness absence, sabbaticals, or other authorised breaks requires careful consideration. This is because your choices can affect your pension contributions and entitlement to benefits.
Depending on the type and length of leave, you may have the option to remain pensionable, continue paying contributions, or temporarily stop contributions, each with different implications for benefits.
On this page you can learn more about short breaks and what to do in order to remain pensionable during the break, depending on why you are on a break. The rules are different, for example, for being on a sabbatical versus being on maternity leave.
You may wish to opt out of the NHS Pension Scheme in which case you can choose from a number of options. However, you should be aware of the repercussions of opting out, and it is worth seriously considering the loss of benefits and uplift. In addition, opting out of the NHS Pension Scheme affects your final salary link.
If you leave the scheme, it also affects your ability to claim ill-health retirement because the assessment level changes.