Following the first options exercise carried out between 2014 and 2015, the timetable below sets out the events that have happened to legislate for the second options exercise.
14 March 2022
More recently, work has again had to take place on the pensions aspect of this case, following the European Court of Justice’s decision in O’Brien v Ministry of Justice concerning fee paid judges in the Judicial Pension Scheme. The judgment held that remedy could extend back before the Part-time Workers Directive was required to be implemented on 7 April 2000. As a binding judgment, that finding applies across all such claims and therefore the UK Government recognised the right applies to retained firefighters’ claims or potential claims.
After an extended period of negotiations on the scope and mechanics of the settlement, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was agreed by all parties on 9 March 2022. Remedy for retained firefighters affected by the O’Brien judgment will be provided by way of a second options exercise allowing in-scope individuals the opportunity to purchase pension entitlement as a special member of the FPS 2006.
31 March 2023
On 31 March 2023, the Home Office launched their formal consultation on Retained Firefighters' Pensions: Proposed Changes to the Firefighters' Pension Scheme (England) 2006
This consultation focuses on the government’s commitment to provide further remedy to those individuals who were employed as retained firefighters between 7 April 2000 and 5 April 2006 inclusive by providing access to the modified section of Firefighters’ Pension Scheme 2006 (referred to as ‘the modified scheme’). It contains the proposed amendments to the Firefighters’ Pension Scheme (England) Order 2006 and the Firemen’s Pension Scheme Order 1992 to achieve this outcome. This consultation document seeks views on proposals for achieving this outcome, and whether the proposed amendments achieve this policy intention for all eligible individuals.
The consultation will close on 9 June 2023.
8 September 2023
On 8 September 2023, the Home Office published their consultation response to the Retained Firefighters' Pensions: Proposed Changes to the Firefighters' Pension Scheme (England) 2006.
The Firefighters’ Pension Schemes (England) (Amendment) Order 2023 were been laid in Parliament.
The regulations came into Force on 1 October 2023.
Guides and other communications related to the second options exercise are listed in the table below split between member and employer:
The below is a list of cohorts and scenarios where we would welcome actual GAD calculator examples:
| Document | Description | Date of issue | |
| Data Sharing Agreement | (Word, 10 pages, 70kb) | Data Sharing Agreement to be used for cases where the current FRA is required to obtain pay and service information from a previous FRA to allow them to provide an individuals options. | 31 October 2023 |
| Employer Guide | (PDF, 37 pages, 503kb) | Guide to help employers through the second options exercise | 31 October 2023 |
| Lessons learned (overview) | (PDF, 6 pages, 170kb) | Draft lessons learned paper produced for stakeholders by the Home Office on the first options exercise | April 2022 |
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(PDF, 21 pages, 586kb) |
LGA project implementation for Matthews. Includes a draft communications plans and terms of reference for the Scheme Advisory Board working group | September 2022 | |
| Matthews and the 2023 options exercise | (PDF, 19 pages, 508kb) | Coffee morning presentation covering MoU and options exercise | 22 March 2022 |
| "Matthews" Memorandum of Understanding | (PDF, 19 pages, 996kb) | MoU signed on 9 March 2022 by all parties | March 2022 |
| Matthews - lessons learned | (PDF, 20 pages, 239kb) | Coffee afternoon presentation covering the Home Office lessons learned paper | 28 June 2022 |
| Matthews pre-work for FRAs factsheet | (Word, 5 pages, 168kb) | A factsheet to help FRAs identify any pre-work which can be done for the Matthews second options exercise | February 2023 |
| Matthews consultation overview | (PDF, 42 pages, 927kb) | Coffee morning presentation on the Home Office consultation on the 2023 options exercise | 11 April 2023 |
| Matthews Poster | (Word, 1 page, 326kb) | Poster to help FRAs promote the Matthews second options exercise | 30 April 2023 |
| (PDF, 21 pages, 363kb) | Employee informal guidance to explain the options in the second options exercise to individuals, including option form - This accompanies the template letter to individual and options calculations. | 4 June 2024 | |
| Summary of "Matthews" MoU and second options exercise | (PDF, 5 pages, 128kb) | Factsheet summary the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which sets out the scope and mechanics of the second options exercise | March 2022 |
|
Summary of "Matthews" MoU and second options exercise v2 (tracked) Summary of "Matthews" MoU and second options exercise v2 (clean) |
(PDF, 6 pages, 130kb)
(PDF, 5 pages, 130kb) |
Updated factsheet summary the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which sets out the scope and mechanics of the second options exercise | August 2022 |
| Document | Description | Date of issue | |
|
(Word, 1 page, 31kb) |
Acknowledgement letter when FRA has received expression of interest form back. |
29 September 2023 |
|
| Initial letter to beneficiary - additional death benefits under Matthews 1 | (Word, 1 page, 35kb) |
Letter to a beneficiary whose spouse/civil partner made an election under Matthews 1 but has since died and some additional benefits are payable. |
12 June 2024 |
| Initial letter to beneficiary - additional death benefits under Matthews 2 | (Word, 1 page, 35kb) | Letter to a beneficiary whose spouse/civil partner are entitled for a top-up to the original death grant paid under Matthews 2 - Only to be used if the beneficiary received a death grant under Matthews 1. | 12 June 2024 |
| Initial letter to beneficiary - death grant and addition death grant under Matthews 2 | (Word, 1 page, 35kb) | Letter to a beneficiary whose spouse/civil partner where they were eligible for payment of a death grant under Matthews 1 but didn't take it, and are now in scope under Matthews 2. | 12 June 2024 |
| Expression of interest form | (Word, 2 pages, 39kb) | Form to accompany the expression of interest letter. | 29 September 2023 |
| Expression of interest letter | (Word, 4 pages, 43kb) | Initial letter to individual asking if they wish to express an interest in the second options exercise. | 29 September 2023 |
| Individual statement of details - Special Deferred Member | (word, 3 pages, 101kb) | This statement can be used for a Special Deferred Member to illustrate the output from the Matthews GAD calculator to provide the individual with information on their options. This would accompany the template letter to individual. | 26 February 2024 |
| Individual statement of details - Special Firefighter Member | (word, 4 pages, 104kb) | This statement can be used for a Special Firefighter Member to illustrate the output from the Matthews GAD calculator to provide the individual with information on their options. This would accompany the template letter to individual. | 26 February 2024 |
| Individual statement of details - Special Pensioner Member | (word, 4 pages, 104kb) |
This statement can be used for a Special Pensioner Member to illustrate the output from the Matthews GAD calculator to provide the individual with information on their options. This would accompany the template letter to individual. |
26 February 2024 |
| Matthews holding letter - additional lump sum | (word, 1 pages, 29kb) |
Holding letter to be sent to only those members who have a pension in payment and elected for a lump sum (paid over 12mths ago) and under Matthews 2 will be receiving an additional lump sum. |
30 May 2024 |
| Member FAQs | (PDF, 14 pages, 277kb) | Frequently Asked Questions for members involved in the Second Options Exercise | |
| (PDF, 21 pages, 363kb) | Employee informal guidance to explain the options in the second options exercise to individuals, including option form - This accompanies the template letter to individual and options calculations. | 4 June 2024 | |
| RDS employee information guide | (PDF, 19 pages, 293kb) | Employee information guide for individuals to help explain the second options exercise - This accompanies the expression of interest letter and form. | 17 May 2024 |
| Template letter to individual | (Word, 2 pages, 33kb) | Letter to individual joining or paying for more service in the modified scheme. | 29 September 2023 |
| Time-limited death grant and additional death grant application form | (word, 3 pages, 108kb) | Application form for a time-limited death grant and additional death grant. This is to accompany the letter to beneficiary - death grant and additional death grant under Matthews 2 | 12 June 2024 |
| Time-limited additional death grant application form. | (word, 3 pages, 108kb) | Application form for a time-limited additional death grant. This is to accompany the time-limited additional death grant initial letter to beneficiary. | 21 December 2023 |
| Letter for FRA's to use when individuals who are out of scope are questioning their eligibility following contact from Thompsons Solicitors who are acting on behalf of the FBU | 18 Jun 2024 | ||
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Generic letters for FRAs to use when communicating with in scope and out of scope individuals | October 2022 |