Central government pensions

There are a number of pension schemes which operate within the central government sector in England and Wales.

The largest schemes are:

•
the NHS Pension Scheme
•
the Teachers’ Pension Scheme
•
the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme

All three schemes are unfunded statutory public service pension schemes.

In addition to the three largest schemes, there are also a range of other schemes operating within the sector, including:

•
the Armed Forces Pension Scheme
•
the Police Pension Scheme
•
the Parliamentary Contributory Pension Fund for MPs

For information on public sector pension schemes in Scotland, see Practice Note: Public sector pension schemes in England and Scotland—key differences.

The NHS Pension Scheme

The NHS Pension Scheme (NHSPS) is a multi-employer, unfunded, defined benefit (DB) public service occupational pension scheme for employees of the NHS in England and Wales. The scheme rules are set and amended by statutory instrument.

The NHSPS was reformed over time and different rules apply to members depending on when they joined.

Members who joined the NHSPS before 1 April 2008 participated in the ‘1995 section’ which provides final salary

To view the latest version of this document and thousands of others like it, sign-in with LexisNexis or register for a free trial.

TAKE A FREE TRIAL

Latest Public Law News

Public Law weekly highlights—23 October 2025

This week's edition of Public Law weekly highlights includes a hand-picked summary of news analysis, legal updates and case law from the world of Public Law. These highlights include the latest updates Brexit SIs, constitutional and administrative law, state security and intelligence, judicial review, equality and human rights, public procurement, information law, state accountability and liability and other public law news.

FCDO publishes international agreement on defence export controls

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) has published an international treaty on defence export controls, which was presented to Parliament in September 2025. The agreement, designated as MS No.5/2025 and referenced as CP 1396, forms part of the government's multilateral treaty series and is accompanied by an explanatory memorandum.

SLSC publishes 38th report of session 2024–26

The House of Lords Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee (SLSC) has published its 38th report of session 2024–26. One instrument was drawn to the special attention of the House: the Heather and Grass etc. Burning (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2025, SI 2025/1000. The regulations prohibit the burning of heather and other vegetation on peat over 30 cm in depth on upland areas in England. The SLSC raised concerns about the potential for increased wildfire risk due to the prohibition of precautionary burning without a licence, particularly given that the new rules came into effect shortly before the start of the burning season. The SLSC also noted that the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) amended a licensing ground to focus on reducing the impact, rather than the risk, of wildfire without prior consultation. In addition, the SLSC criticised the implementation timeline and questioned why Defra had not begun the policy making process earlier.

UK Supreme Court Justice outlines ECtHR shift towards process-based review

Lord Sales, Justice of the UK Supreme Court, delivered a presentation to the European Legal Dialogues Group analysing the European Court of Human Rights' (ECtHR) trajectory towards process-based review over recent decades. The presentation, delivered on 17 October 2025 in Strasbourg, argues that the ECtHR has increasingly focused its review on whether national institutions have engaged with Convention provisions and the Court's jurisprudence, rather than conducting purely substantive review. Lord Sales contends this procedural approach is justified given the maturity of ECtHR caselaw and tensions between the Court's decision-making and democratic principles in Contracting States. The analysis examines the margin of appreciation doctrine's three operational axes: accommodating tension between Convention rights and democratic decision-making, providing space for local expertise, and regulating calls upon the ECtHR's attention. The presentation suggests this trend towards partnership and shared responsibility will continue strengthening Convention compliance whilst addressing democratic deficit criticisms.