Ill health retirement mistake

Hi, well, that’s a bit of a predicament

Can I confirm exactly what stage you are with regards the ill health retirement process…..are you saying that you have completely filled in your IHR application, including providing medical evidence and provided medical record search permission s and sent it of and now your pension provider has accepted that you have a condition that warrants IHR, and if so have you had notification that you have been successful and have been awarded a pension award ( at whichever tier that might be )…..or are you saying that your employer initially refused your initial request for IHR and you appealed this and won And that’s the stage you are at?

Hi, i am obviously not familiar with your pension scheme but can i clarify something about the top tier you have been awarded.

I know many pensions are different and the award descriptions can be different which is why i am asking.

When i left the civil service under IHR there were only two tiers of award, lower and higher….i was awarded the higher tier which was the equivalent of getting my full pension as if i had worked until i was 67 so quite a result as i was only 54 at the time….but, with that higher tier there are stipulations, one being working again…..i was awarded the higher tier pension based on the pension provider accepting that my condition very severely restricted or stopped me altogether from working again.

The lower tier was…i could no longer do my job in the role i was in…i could work again.

The higher tier was…i could no longer do my job in the role i was in or any other job.

Not sure how your tiers work in relation to the above but it is important to understand any restrictions placed on you if there are any. For instance if i was found to be working again i would lose my higher tier pension which would certainly be problematical to me financially.

I understand going through the IHR process is a nerve wracking one and obviously finances come into it. From people i know and having followed discussions on here it seems that many people who have been successful at IHR still have to rely on benefits.

I am surprised that you have a leaving date of March 2025 if you have received confirmation of your award.

okay, if you too are civil service then that makes it easier for me too understand.

I can’t imagine that there are many people who apply for IHR , are successful, get awarded the highest tier , then want to appeal.

If the pension provider has awarded you the highest tier then it is because from the evidence you have presented and medical evidence they will have looked at suggests to them that you are unfit to work….in any job, albeit in a very very very limited earning capacity. Getting awarded the highest tier is extremely hard to get so your evidence must have been compelling.

When any employee is at the point of applying for IHR then it is usually because they genuinely have no other option and unfortunately this isn't always the great solution many believe it to be, especially financially, but again, they have no other options left but to apply.

You receiving a work finish date is standard after an award and is usually agreed between all parties. It generally will include sufficient time for you to make your pension payment choice and your pension to come into force and start being paid the month after your leaving date…so your first payment would be April 25.

You need to be fully honest with yourself though. I realise the urge to keep working but are you fit enough too. Without knowing the ins and outs of your medical history and illness ( and I don’t need to know!!) You receiving the higher award would suggest that you aren’t.

If you appealed and dropped down to the lower tier, then you could not continue working in your current role as the descriptor for lower tier is that you are not fit for your current role or similar……would your employer be able to make any reasonable adjustments or move you too a different role…….i would say no, because if they could have then they would have before you applied for IHR……it is expected and indeed the pension provider has to ask as part of their process for confirmation from your employer that all reasonable adjustments have been exhausted…..if your employer when asked this said no, then the pension provider would not agree your application at that stage as there might still be things you and your employer could try, so to reach an award decision your employer has already stated to the pension provider that there are no more reasonable adjustments to be made and your application proceeded on that basis to your award.

Your confirmation IHR application award letter will give you full details as to why you have been awarded the higher tier and their reasons behind granting you the award they have.

Sorry if this sounds long winded, it’s not always easy to give advice without feeling like you are rambling on.

The truth is I would expect that you could appeal, but I am unsure if doing so would put you in a better position.