Scottish Firefighters' pension schemes' consultations

Consultation on proposed changes to the Firefighters’ Pension Scheme (Scotland) Order 2007

This consultation will start on 2 September 2024 and end 16 September 2024

Consultation on the Firefighters' Pensions Scheme (Scotland) Amendment Order 2023

This consultation will start on 6 October and end on 3 November 

Consultation on amendments to the New Firefighters’ Pension Scheme (Scotland) Order 2007 Regulations to provide a cohort of retained firefighters with further options to purchase historical pensionable service. 
 

This consultation will start on 20 September and end on 8 November 2023

Consultation on the Amendments to the Scottish Firefighters’ pension schemes 2022

This consultation ended on Tuesday 1 February 2022

The 2015 Remedy – Consultation on the Amendments to the Scottish Firefighters’ pension schemes 2022

This consultation ended on Tuesday 18 January 2022

Proposals for Amendments to the Firefighters' Pension Scheme (1992) and the Firefighters' Compensation Scheme (Scotland) Order 2006

This consultation ended 30 September 2019

Proposals for Amendments to the Firefighters' Pension Scheme (1992), The New Firefighters' Pension Scheme (Scotland) 2006 and the Firefighters' Pension Scheme (Scotland) 2015  

This consultation ended 29 October 2018

The Firefighters' Pension Scheme Amendment (Increased Pension Entitlement) (Scotland) Order 2018  

The closing date for this consultation is 11 October 2018  

Views are sought on draft amendment regulations to introduce legislation to provide a scheme award known as Increased Pension Entitlement (IPE) to reflect GMP-related overpayments.

Proposals for Amendments to the Firefighters' Pension Scheme (1992) and the New Firefighters' Pension Scheme (2006)  

This Consultation ended 7 May 2018

Views are sought on draft amendment regulations to introduce legislation to provide a scheme award known as Increased Pension Entitlement (IPE) to reflect GMP-related overpayments  



Draft regulations amending the Firefighters' Pension Scheme (Scotland) Regulations 2015 and the Firefighters' Pension Scheme (Amendment and Transitional Provisions) (Scotland) Order 2016.  

This consultation has now closed.

Draft Order amending the Firemen’s Pension Scheme Order 1992  

The draft order introduces an employee contributions holiday for members of the 1992 Scheme who accrue the maximum 30 years’ pensionable service prior to age 50 and will apply from the point of accruing maximum service in the Scheme until the member’s 50th birthday. This change will apply with retrospective effect to 1 December 2006. This consultation will run from 13 September to 11 October 2016.  

This consultation has now concluded

Draft regulations amending the Firefighters' Pension Scheme (Scotland) Regulations 2015, the Firemen's Pension Scheme Order 1992, the Firefighters' Pension Scheme (Scotland) Order 2007 and the Firefighters' Compensation Scheme (Scotland) Order 2006  

This consultation has now concluded 

Draft regulations that provide for a protection on the lump sum factors provided for the Firefighters' Pension scheme (FPS)  

This consultation has now concluded 

Consultation on amendments and transitional arrangements for the Firefighters’ Pension Scheme (Scotland) 2015 and the Firefighters’ Compensation Scheme (Scotland) 2007, and amendments to the retained section of the New Firefighters’ Pension Scheme 2006  

This consultation has now concluded  

Please find enclosed a consultation on amendments and transitional arrangements for the schemes as detailed above.  

The draft regulations also introduce governance arrangements and contribution rates for the new 2015 scheme and add provisions to the existing schemes to reflect the introduction of same sex marriage in Scotland. 

Consultation on draft regulations for Transitional and Consequential changes to finance and wider pensions legislation in relation to the Firefighters Pension Scheme (Scotland) 2015  

This consultation has now concluded  

The purpose of this consultation is to seek views on the Firefighters Pensions (Transitional and Consequential Provisions) (Scotland) Regulations 2015  which cover a number of technical changes to over-riding pensions legislation.

Consultation on the draft Public Service (Firefighters) Pensions (Scotland) Regulations 2014  

This consultation has now concluded  

The 2014 Regulations make provision for the new Firefighters' Pension Scheme Scotland due to be implemented with effect from 1st April 2015. 

Consultation on draft regulations for proposed employee increases to the Firefighters' Pension Schemes in Scotland  

This consultation has now concluded  

On 5th November in response to a Parliamentary Question the cabinet Secretary for Finance, Employment and Sustainable Growth, John Swinney, confirmed the Scottish Government's decisionto implement the third annual increment of UK Government proposed employee contribution increases for the Firefighters' schemes in Scotland. Below are a copy of draft regulations for proposed increases to employee contribution rates effective from 1st April 2014 for the Firefighters' Pension Schemes in Scotland.

Consultation on draft regulations to allow Retained Firefighters’ access to a modified pension scheme  

Consultation period: 6th September to 18th October 2013  

This consultation has now concluded  

This consultation paper consults on the proposed new pension arrangements for claimants and other eligible retained firefighters that has been agreed between the Scottish Ministers and the Fire Brigades Union, and the implementation of these arrangements by Scottish statutory instrument.  

The attached consultation provides a copy of those draft regulations which are issued for consultation and comment.

Consultation on draft regulations for proposed employee contribution increases to the Firefighters' Pension Schemes in Scotland  

Consultation period: 20th December 2012 to 1st February 2013  

This consultation period has now concluded  

In a statement to Parliament on 28th November 2012, the Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Employment and Sustainable Growth, John Swinney, announced the Scottish Government's decision to implement the second annual increment of UK Government proposed employee contribution increases for the Teachers', NHS, Police and Firefighters' schemes in Scotland.  

Attached is a copy of the consultation on draft regulations for proposed increases to employee contribution rates effective from 1st April 2013 for the Firefighters' Pension Schemes in Scotland.

Consultation on the establishment of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and to enable the implementation of automatic enrolment  

This consultation has now closed  

The Scottish Government published an initial consultation paper in February 2011 seeking views on the future of the police and fire service.  A further consultation paper setting out proposals for how the new single Scottish services will work in practice, and seeking views on the detailed legislative provisions to be taken forward to Parliament, was published in September 2011.  The Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012 was granted Royal Assent on 7th August 2012.  

The Pensions Act 2008 introduces a number of new employer duties to give improved access to pension provision.  A key requirement is to automatically enrol eligible jobholders into a qualifying pension scheme.  

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and Automatic Enrolment is effective from 1st April 2013.  

Following these changes the draft regulations that will provide for the establishment of the single authority and the implementation of automatic enrolment to be applied from 1st April 2013 have now been prepared.

Consultation on draft regulations for proposed employee contribution increases to the Firefighters' Pension Schemes in Scotland  

Consultation period: 20th December 2012 to 1st February 2013  

In a statement to Parliament on 28th November 2012, the Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Employment and Sustainable Growth, John Swinney, announced the Scottish Government's decision to implement the second annual increment of UK Government proposed employee contribution increases for the Teachers', NHS, Police and Firefighters' schemes in Scotland.   

Attached is a copy of the consultation on draft regulations for proposed increases to employee contribution rates effective from 1st April 2013 for the Firefighters' Pension Schemes in Scotland.

Consultation on the establishment of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and to enable the implementation of automatic enrolment  

Consultation period 29th November 2012 to 21st February 2013  

The Scottish Government published an initial consultation paper in February 2011 seeking views on the future of the police and fire service.  A further consultation paper setting out proposals for how the new single Scottish services will work in practice, and seeking views on the detailed legislative provisions to be taken forward to Parliament, was published in September 2011.  The Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012 was granted Royal Assent on 7th August 2012.  

The Pensions Act 2008 introduces a number of new employer duties to give improved access to pension provision.  A key requirement is to automatically enrol eligible jobholders into a qualifying pension scheme.  

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and Automatic Enrolment is effective from 1st April 2013.  

Following these changes the draft regulations that will provide for the establishment of the single authority and the implementation of automatic enrolment to be applied from 1 April 2013 have now been prepared.  
 

Consultation on Employee Contribution Rate Increases – Draft Amendment Regulations  

The Scottish Government recently published a consultation on proposals for potential increases in the level of contributions scheme members will be required to make to the Firefighters' Pension Scheme (FPS) and New Firefighters' Pension Scheme (NFPS) in Scotland from 1st April 2012, which ran from 7th October 2011 to 17th November 2011.  

Following that consultation the draft regulations that will provide for the increased contributions to be applied from April 2012 have now been prepared.  

The attached consultation provides a copy of those draft regulations which are issued for consultation and comment. 

Link to draft NFPS regulations  

This consultation ended on 3 February 2012. All of the responses received were considered alongside all other available evidence and amendment regulations are now in force bringing the agreed increases in employee contribution rates into effect from 1 April 2012.  

In setting the levels of employee contributions, Scottish Ministers have taken into account the need to protect the lower paid, minimising the risk of opt outs from the scheme and ensuring that the additonal burdens fall on those with the greatest ability to meet them.

Consultation on proposed increases to employee contribution rates effective from April 2012  

In his address to Parliament on 21st September on the Scottish Spending Review 2011, the Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Employment and Sustainable Growth, John Swinney, announced the Scottish Government's decision to reluctantly apply employee contribution increases for the NHS, Teachers', Police and Firefighters' schemes in Scotland.

The Firefighter' Pension Scheme Order 1992 and The Firefighters' Pension Scheme (Scotland) Order 2007  

Consultation period 23rd December 2010 to 26th February 2011  

Further to letter of 26th November 2010 please see attached consultation letter about the intention to switch the basis of uprating public service pensions from the Retail Prices Index (RPI) to the Consumer Prices Index (CPI). 

The Firefighters' Pension Regulations 1992  

Consultation period 26th November 2010 to 7th January 2011  

This consultation is on changes to the above regulations required as a result of the UK Government’s intention to switch the basis of uprating public service pensions from the Retail Prices Index (RPI) to the Consumer Prices Index (CPI). This letter starts the consultation process.

The Firefighters' Pension Scheme Amendment (Scotland) (No.2) Order 2010 and The Firefighters' Pension Scheme (Scotland) Order 2007 Amendment (No.2) Order 2010  

Consultation period 19th May to 30th June 2010  

The above Orders introduced the legislative basis for the new financing system for firefighters' pensions. The new financing system was introduced from 1st April 2010.  A copy of the consultation documents can be accessed via the links below. 

Annex D  (Excel 39.5kb)

Scottish Resilience  

Scottish Resilience issued an update on the consultation below:  

Firefighters' Pension Schemes Amendment Orders - 

Scottish Resilience issued consultation papers, on 18th December 2009, which included a draft of the Firefighters' Pension Scheme Amendment (Scotland) Order 2010 and a draft of the Firefighters' Pension Scheme (Scotland) Order 2007 Amendment Order 2010. Consultation period ends on 15th January 2010.  

A copy of the consultation documents can be accessed via the links below:

Firefighters' Pension Scheme Amendment (Increased Pension Entitlement) (Scotland) Order 2009  

Consultation papers were issued on 18th December 2008 which included the final draft of the Firefighters' Pension Scheme Amendment (Increased Pension Entitlement)(Scotland) Order 2009.  Consultation period ends on 12th February 2009.  

A copy of the consultation documents can be accessed via the links below:

Firefighters' Pension Scheme (Scotland) Amendment Order 2008 and the Firefighters' Pension Scheme Amendment (No 2) Order 2008                     

Consultation papers were issued on 18th December 2007 which included the final draft of the Firefighters' Pension Scheme (Scotland) Amendment Order 2008 and the Firefighters' Pension Scheme (Scotland) Amendment (No 2) Order 2008.  In addition to the introduction of Continuous Personal Development (CPD) payments which replace Long Service Increment (LSI) there are also changes to the FPS and NFPS.  

A copy of the consultation documents can be accessed via the links below: 

Firefighters' Pension Scheme (Scotland) Order 2006; the Firefighters' Pension Scheme (Scotland) Amendment Order 2007 and the Firefighters' Compensation Scheme (Scotland) Amendment Order 2007  

Consultation papers were issued on 21st November 2006 which included the final draft of the New Firefighters' Pension Scheme Order for Scotland.  The Order has retrospective effect from 6th April 2006.  In addition to the introduction of the NFPS regulations there are also changes to both the FPS and the Firefighters Compensation Scheme that are required as a consequence of the new tax regime from April 2006 and the introduction of the NFPS Regulations.     

Firefighters' Compensation Scheme (Scotland) Order 2006 and the Firefighters' Pension Scheme Amendment (Scotland) Order 2006   

Consultation papers were issued on 4th April 2006 to amend the Firefighters' Pension Scheme with a view to providing separate Firefighters' Compensation Regulations and amendments consequential to the new tax regime for pensions, new arrangements for ill-health awards and closure of the existing pension scheme to new members.

Civil Partners and various amendments 2005  

Consultation period 26th September - 5th October 2005  

Consultation papers were issued on 26th September 2005 to amend the firefighters' Pension Scheme with a view to including Civil Partners. Various other amendments are also within the consultation document.  

A copy of the consultation document can be accessed below: