Are you thinking about returning to the classroom? You can calculate how much you can earn without affecting your pension at www.teacherspensions.co.ukPIPI_calculator.htm The rule is that you will be penalised if your new salary plus your pension adds up to more than your “salary of reference” - the highest salary you received in the three years prior to retirement, adjusted for inflation. Below are what some typical retired staff could expect.
Case 1
You retired from teaching two years ago aged 60. As head of a large secondary, your final salary was pound;60,000. With 25 years’ service you got a pension of pound;18,750 and a lump sum of pound;56,250.
Now you want to help your local school, which is a teacher short. With no other earnings, your teacher’s salary is much lower than the maximum you can earnwithout affecting your pension. You can go back full-time and still get your full pension.
Case 2
You switched into teaching during the last recruitment crisis in 1990. Last year, at 55 and on a pound;22,000 salary you retired early - despite having to accept a pension of pound;2,040. To the astonishment of your friends you have accepted a job at your old school. Despite earning more than you did a year ago you will get your full pension.
Case 3
You retired early in 1997 after 30 years of service, before the retirement rules changed. Then, you were a head of department on a salary of pound;25,000. Your education authority has asked if you would return full-time. But the pensions agency says you are only allowed to earn pound;16,397 a year before your pension of pound;10,000 is docked.
Jon Slater
