You’ll sometimes see this referred to as medical retirement or retirement on medical grounds. If you have a private or workplace pension, you might be able to begin taking an income and/or lump sums from your pension at any age due to ill health. The normal minimum retirement age of 55 doesn’t apply.
Do I have to accept ill health retirement?
Whilst it is not necessary for your employer to consent, they will need to confirm that ill health is the only reason for your retirement. Greater emphasis is now given to rehabilitation and to making reasonable adjustments to enable you to return to work.
Can I claim my state pension early due to ill health?
Although you can retire at any age, you can only claim your State Pension when you reach State Pension age. If you’re retiring because of ill-health you may be able to take your benefits before the set age. If you have serious ill-health and your life expectancy is less than a year you can retire at any age.
What happens if you can’t work due to ill health?
You might be able to claim Statutory Sick Pay (SSP), paid by your employer. If this has run out, or you can’t claim it, you might be able to claim Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Universal Credit, and other benefits.
Can work terminate my contract due to ill health?
An employee cannot be made redundant due to ill health, although they can be fairly dismissed on grounds of capability, as long as the employer has acted reasonably in all the circumstances and made any reasonable adjustments within the workplace, wherever possible.
Can my employer sack me due to ill health?
Can you make someone redundant due to ill health? An employee cannot be made redundant due to ill health, although they can be fairly dismissed on grounds of capability, as long as the employer has acted reasonably in all the circumstances and made any reasonable adjustments within the workplace, wherever possible.
In cases of serious ill health where your life expectancy is less than one year, you might be able to take all your pension as a lump sum. You’ll need to provide supporting medical evidence if you want to access your pension due to ill health.
Can my employer refuse ill health retirement?
If your request for ill health early retirement is refused, it’s possible to challenge a decision if one or more of the above was not followed. If that’s the case, the decision-maker should reconsider. This doesn’t necessarily mean that they would come to a different decision.
Can a person retire on grounds of ill health?
The criteria and procedures required for an employee to retire on grounds of ill-health are set out in Circular 22/2007: Ill-Health Retirement from the Civil Service. This Circular sets out the procedures to be followed in a case of ill-health retirement, either on the initiative of the civil servant or of the Department/Office.
Can a civil service employee apply for ill health retirement?
No, you will not be eligible to apply for ill health retirement if you have already left your employment and the CSPS, apart from in exceptional circumstances which are explained in ‘What happens if my employment is terminated before an ill health retirement assessment has been completed?’
When to apply for retrospective ill health retirement?
Retrospective ill health retirement will be applied from the last date of service if it is determined that you should have been given medical retirement at that date.
Who are the providers of civil service pensions?
The Scheme Medical Adviser is the sole provider of advice on access to medical-related Civil Service Pension Scheme benefits. The current provider is Health management Limited. How do I apply for Ill Health Retirement?
