House of Commons · Written Ministerial Statement
Firefighters’ Pension Scheme: Opt-out Contingent Decisions
26 March 2026 · Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
Proposed by Samantha Dixon Lab Chester North and Neston
Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.
At a glance
Key points
- Firefighters who opted out of their pension scheme due to age discrimination may have their service period re-credited under new regulations.
- The government will amend regulations using the Act's special-case power to allow affected firefighters to buy back their opted-out service.
- This statutory instrument will be introduced as soon as parliamentary time permits.
Issue summary
This statement addresses an unintended consequence affecting firefighters who opted out of their pension scheme due to age discrimination.
Action requested
The government will use the Act’s special-case power to amend regulations, allowing affected members to buy back opted-out service between April 1, 2015 and March 31, 2022. This statutory instrument will be brought forward as soon as parliamentary time allows.
Key facts
- The Court of Appeal found that transitional protections in the firefighters’ scheme constituted unlawful age discrimination.
- Parliament enacted the Public Service Pensions and Judicial Offices Act 2022 to remedy this issue.
- Some affected firefighters cannot be reinstated into their actual legacy scheme, preventing them from buying back opted-out service.
▸
Assessment & feedback
Summary accuracy