This note is provided for the Welsh Government as the responsible authority of the Firefighters' Pension Schemes in Wales andsets out the general method for calculating:

• a cash equivalent for a pensioner member on divorce
• assessing pension credit calculations for the ex-partner (which refers to any eligible previous partner in the New Firefighters' Pension Scheme i.e. ex-spouse, ex-civil partner) on divorce
• calculating the pension debit applicable to a member's pension following the implementation of a Pension Sharing Order and the application of the pension debit at retirement

in the New Firefighters' Pension Scheme (Wales) 2007 (NFPS).

This guidance should be used both when a member applies for a quotation of the value of the benefits during the divorce proceedings, and after a pension sharing order has been made.

This guidance is designed to be consistent with the Welfare Reform and Pensions Act 1999 (the Act) and associated regulations (principally the Pension Sharing (Implementation and Discharge of Liability) Regulations 2000.

This guidance relates only to benefits accrued under the NFPS. Some firefighters may also have benefits under the 2015 Scheme or the 1992 scheme which should be dealt with separately according to relevant scheme guidance.

Amendments were made to the NFPS to provide those employees who were employed in Wales as retained firefighters during the period from 1 July 2000 to 5 April 2006 with pension benefits in respect of that period. Such members are known as Special members in the NFPS and have a different benefit structure to other members of the 2006 Scheme. In particular, Special members:

• accrue benefits at a rate of 1/45ths of Final Pensionable Pay for each year and part year of Pensionable Service
• have a normal retirement age of 55 and a normal benefit age of 60.

The following changes have been made when reviewing this guidance:

• Important information around the expected audience for the guidance, use of the guidance, review of factors, compliance and limitations applies across all sets of guidance. Rather than being repeated in each set of guidance, this can now be found on the scheme home page. It is important to read this information alongside the guidance.
• Calculation methodology: No changes have been made to the calculation methodology.
• Examples: There are no examples in this guidance. Worked examples, using the calculation methodology, can be found in prior versions of the guidance (though please note that these use historic factors).
• Factor tables: The "Factor Tables" tab contains the names of the tables that are referenced in the calculation methodology. The tables of factors themselves can be found in the most recently published "Consolidated Factors Workbook" which is available by clicking the "Download current Consolidated Factors Workbook" button on the scheme's home page.
• Assumptions: The key assumptions underlying the factors in each note are contained in the Consolidated Factors Workbook.
• Regulations: The regulations that require the production of the actuarial factors and/or guidance that is the subject of this note are summarised in the "Regulations" tab.