The FBU recently won a huge improvement in pensions for retained duty firefighters.
The RDS modified scheme will come into force from 1 April 2015 and will be available to retained firefighters who worked between 1 July 2000 and 5 April 2006.
Fire and rescue authorities must tell potentially eligible firefighters of their right to join the scheme and send them an ‘expression of interest form’ by 1 June 2014.
In most cases firefighters must return this form filled out within two months of receiving it,although doing so does not commit them to purchasing pension benefits.
The fire and rescue authority will then reply with a written statement outlining what benefits and costs of the scheme.
The scheme is not only available to serving firefighters: those who now work somewhere else or have retired are also eligible.
Firefighters who are not in service but would have been eligible for an ill health retirement had they been a full scheme member are also included, and families of dead firefighters may also be eligible for benefits.
