To qualify for a refund, a member must:
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have left the scheme before reaching Normal Pension Age
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have ceased membership of the Scheme in all employments
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have less than two years qualifying membership in the NHS Pension Scheme. This includes membership across all sections / schemes and any transferred in membership. (For example, a member cannot have one month membership in the 1995 scheme, three years membership in the 2015 scheme and then request a refund of their one-month 1995 scheme membership, as their total membership of the pension scheme exceeds the two-year threshold.)
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have not had a transfer into the NHS Pension Scheme from a personal or stakeholder pension
This still applies to members who have chosen to take partial retirement or those that have chosen to retire and return.
If a member claims their pension benefits, returns to work and rejoins the scheme, they will not be eligible for a refund of contributions made under the new membership. If a member does not wish to re-join the scheme, they must opt out in the first month so their employer can refund their first month’s contribution.