Joiners and leavers
Can a Pension Leaver form be submitted by the practice if the GP has not yet submitted their Performer List employment change to declare they are leaving?
Yes, the Pension Leaver form can be submitted once you know the GP is leaving. The leaving date needs to be the date they intend to leave the practice / pension scheme. This will ensure pension contributions stop for that GP.
Do you still have to complete a Pension Leaver form for a GP retiring? NHS Pensions are already aware they are leaving.
As long as the GP has submitted their AW8 Retirement application to PCSE 4-6 months in advance of their planned retirement date, the PCSE Retirement team will update the GP’s record to stop contributions being taken from the practice from the retirement date.
Is a Pension Joiner form required for a long-standing Partner GP who is opting into the pension scheme for the first time?
Yes, the Pension Joiner form needs to be completed by the practice in PCSE Online. The joining date needs to be the date the GP has opted in to the Pension Scheme, not the original start date at the practice.
What do you do if the GP joining date is before the earliest date you can enter on PCSE Online? E.G Backdated to a previous financial year?
The earliest start date you can enter on a Pensions Joiner form is 1st April of the previous pension year. If that start date goes back further than that you should complete the Joiner with the earliest start date possible to commence deductions (and trigger the immediate arrears), then complete a Contact Us form to advise PCSE what the correct start date is and request it is updated. Please provide the annual income and tier rate for the year(s) in question so that the remaining arrears can be calculated accurately.
If a GP joins the practice and gives you their sd502 (opt out form) before you've added them as a Pensions Joiner, do you still need to add them?
No, you will not need to submit a Pension Joiner form as the GP is not joining the NHS Pension Scheme. The GP will need to complete the opt out process in PCSE Online to declare that they have opted out.
I can see GPs on the list who have left the practice - when I go to the Pension Leaver form, they do not appear on the drop-down list.
The most likely reason for this is the GP has not submitted an employment change request in PCSE Online to declare they have left the practice. Once they have done this you will be able to submit the Pensions Leaver. Alternatively, the GP may have never had a Pension Joiner form completed for them by the practice.
Do I need to complete a Pension Leaver and Joiner form for GPs that are changing roles at the same practice?
PCSE are trialling a new process from 24 March 2025 where we will complete the Pensions forms once a GP has submitted a change of status from salaried to partner or vice versa. Therefore, the practice does not need to submit the Pensions Leaver and Joiner forms for changes GPs submit from this day onwards. Once PCSE have notified the practice that the pension status has been updated you can submit a revised Estimate of income if the GP’s annual income has changed.
Who completes the Pension Joiner form, the practice or the GP?
The practice needs to complete this in PCSE Online. The 'Joiner and Leavers role' in PCSE Online is required to submit / see these forms.
Do we need to approve a GP’s Performer List request in PCSE Online before we submit a Pension Joiner form?
Yes, Performer List requests need to be approved in PCSE Online as soon as possible so the Pension Joiner form can be submitted. Pension Joiner forms can only be completed by the practice once all the administration steps have been completed by the GP, practice and ICB, if applicable.
Is there a way to see if a Pension Joiner form has been completed for a GP?
You can see previously completed forms on the Pension Joiner Listing Screen in PCSE Online.
A Salaried GP, Principal GP or non-GP Partner wants to opt-out of the pension scheme. What needs to happen?
If a Salaried GP, Principal GP or non-GP Partner wishes to opt out of the NHS Pension Scheme but continue working in your NHS employment(s) they must complete the Opt Out form on PCSE Online. Please note this means they no longer have to complete the SD502 form.
Simply log into PCSE Online, select the GP Pensions tab and click the Opt Out option from the dashboard. Provide the date they want to opt out from and tick to confirm the instruction.
The practice must complete the Leaver form in PCSE Online, which instructs the system to cease pension contributions from the date provided.
If in future, the Salaried GP, Principal GP or non-GP Partner wishes to rejoin the NHS Pension scheme, the practice will need to complete a Joiner form.
How do I get an Advanced Clinical/Nurse Practitioner or Practice manager, who is a non-GP Partner onto the Estimate form in order to take pension contributions?
In order for a non-GP Partner to be added to the Estimate form, the practice must complete a Joiner form for them on PCSE Online. The non-GP Partner must have joined the NHS pension scheme and have an SD number.
If the practice cannot find the non-GP Partner in the Joiner form, PCSE might not be aware of their SD number. The non-GP Partner will find their SD number on any correspondence they've received from NHS Pensions. If they don't have anything with their SD number on, they need to email the Pensions Member team at nhsbsa.pensionsmember@nhsbsa.nhs.uk
Either the non-GP Partner or the practice needs to contact PCSE with the SD number as soon as possible. PCSE will update the information, and within two hours the Joiner form should update.
Please note, there is no Performer List requirements for a non-GP Partner, as they are not on the Performers List.
I can't find our new GP (Salaried or Principal) in the Joiner form.
There are several reasons why you can't find a new Salaried GP or Principal GP joining your practice in the Joiners form on PCSE Online.
1. If a newly qualified GP has recently changed their status to Salaried GP, PCSE might not be aware of their SD number. The GP will find their SD number on any correspondence they've received from NHS Pensions. If they don't have anything with their SD number on, they need to email the Pensions Member team at nhsbsa.pensionsmember@nhsbsa.nhs.uk
Either the GP or the practice needs to contact PCSE with the SD number as soon as possible. PCSE will update the information, and within two hours the Joiner form should update.
2. GP has not yet submitted their employment change in PCSE Online.
Please note, the practice cannot do this on behalf of the GP, it is the GP's responsibility to ensure their employment details are current and correct.
3. Practice or ICB (if relevant) has not approved the employment change in PCSE Online.
For a salaried GP, only practice approval is needed for an employment change. For a Principal GP, ICB approval is also required. This also requires a contract variation, which needs to be initiated by the ICB.
If you have a new GP Principal starting, please get in touch with your ICB as early as possible, so that they can start to prepare the contract variation as soon as possible.
What role do I need to manage the Joiner and Leaver process in PCSE Online?
You will need the 'Joiners & Leavers' role. This needs to be assigned to you by a user adminitsrator in your practice with the 'GPP - User Management' role. Any other user administrator role ('PL Organisation User Administrator' or 'Main Contact') will not be able to assign any role related to GP Pensions and Payments.
Once you have the 'Joiners & Leavers' role, you will be able to see a list of employment changes to be processed in PCSE Online. Please note, you may need to scroll across the screen in order to see all the headings.
Understanding the Joiner and Leaver process
The Joiner and Leaver process in PCSE Online is for Salaried GPs and Principal GPs who are members of the NHS pension scheme.
The purpose of the Joiner and Leaver process is to ensure that the correct pension contributions are taken from the practice's contractual statement each month that the Salaried GP or Principal GP is employed.
If your Salaried GP or Principal GP is not a member of the pension scheme, you do not need to complete the Joiner and Leaver process.
Individual estimates, does this mean we estimate the GP salary but then they add any other locum work done elsewhere?
Individual Estimate allows for all earnings to be declared by the GP themselves - including salaried, locum and solo work earnings. This can be captured on the main Estimate however if the GP wants to keep their locum and solo earnings private, but still have their locum and solo figures counted for accuracy, they complete an Individual Estimate and tick the box to hide the locum and solo earnings from view.
If you change an estimate does PCSE take into account the annual figures paid to date?
The estimate form sets the monthly contributions going forwards. The contribution tier rate has to be selected from a drop down list. If the change in earnings for the remainder of the year impacts the tier rate this must be changed. Any contributions paid to date will be pulled through to the Annual Certificate or Self-Assessment form at year end.
Our accountant normally completes and submits the estimates, will they be able to continue to do this?
It will remain the responsibility of the practice to submit their estimates. It is possible to give your accountant the Estimates role to do this on your behalf.
Is there a way to show which GPs are linked to our practices?
The Performers List website has the facility to search by practice and see all GPs currently linked to the practice. The website is updated in real time after changes have been submitted and approved.
Will we still need to complete the estimate of pensionable profit form when GP leaves or joins the practice?
Estimates are required annually but should be updated after any changes to pensionable profits or earnings to ensure that the correct contributions are being paid throughout the year. The most recent submitted Annual Estimate will be visible and editable in PCSE Online. After any personnel changes, review the estimate and update if needed. Example, a Principal GP leaving the practice may have impacts on the remaining Partner profits and earnings.
Can you clarify the terms ‘GP’ or ‘NON GP’ on the joiners screen?
Non-GP refers to non-GP Partners. A common example of this is a Practice Manager who is a Partner.
We have a salaried GP leaving the NHS pension scheme but not leaving the Practice, would i still use the Leavers form?
No, the leavers form is to stop Pensions contributions being taken from your practice for GPs who have left the practice but have remained in the NHS Pension scheme. The Opt out process should be followed by the GP for this scenario, once opted out then contributions will stop. GPs have an Opt out tile when they log in to PCSE Online.
If a GP has opted out of the Pension scheme, how do they opt back in?
Users with the GP Joiner role needs to complete a Pensions Joiner form to opt a GP back into the pension scheme and restart contributions.
How do we notify you of historic joiners or leavers from before this new system is live?
Submit the joiner or leaver form using PCSE Online and the contributions will be backdated to the beginning of the financial year. The leavers form can be completed and submitted at any time, but for joiners the GP must have completed their performers list change first. For any joiners or leavers prior to the current financial year you will need to contact PCSE to apply a further manual adjustment, by visiting the Contact Us page and completing a new GP Pensions enquiry.