Northern Ireland Teachers Pension Scheme

The Northern Ireland Teachers' Pension Scheme (NITPS) has undergone modifications and improvements effective from 1 April 2007.

The new provisions include a pension age of 65 for new entrants to the Northern Ireland Teachers' Pension Scheme (NITPS) alongside modifications to the current scheme for existing members from 1 April 2007 so all guidance and leaflets prior to this are obsolete.

The NITPS is a contributory scheme administered by Teachers' Pensions Branch (TPB) on behalf of the Department of Education.  It is a defined benefit 'final salary' scheme and is one of the most important and valuable benefits available to teachers.  The NITPS not only provides you with a regular income after you retire but can also provide a lump sum.  It also gives financial protection to your family or other dependants after you die and enhanced benefits for early retirement on ill-health or Redunancy.  Benefits are index-linked under the Pensions Increase Act.

The NITPS has approximately 26,600 current members, 11,419 deferred members and 16,585 pensioners.  The Scheme's complexity arises from the wide variation in coverage offered to members.

Annual expenditure on pension benefits is estimated at £229,115K while receipt of superannuation contributions is estimated at £152,555K.

The NITPS is contracted-out of the State Second Pension (S2P) and that means the NITPS guarantees to pay benefits which are at least as high as those the state would pay.  Although you will be contracted out of S2P you will receive the Basic State Pension in addition to your teacher's pension.

The NITPS is a statutry scheme subject to the Teachers' Superannuation Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1998 (as amended).  Nothing stated on these pages overrides the provisions of the regulations.  If you want more information on any aspects of the scheme, you can get any ot the leaflets mentioned in this guide in the forms and leaflets section from this website.

Teachers Pensions Branch can be contacted as follows:-

Telephone:
Local - 028 7131 9000
International - +44(0)28 7131 9000

Fax:
Local - 028 7131 9190
International - +44(0)28 7131 9190

e-mail: - teachers.pensions@deni.gov.uk

Frequent questions for current members.

Frequent questions for pensioners.

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