Membership of FPS 2015 is open to any person taking up employment as a firefighter with a fire and rescue authority on or after 1 April 2015.
Enrolment into the scheme is automatic on appointment. It does not matter what duty system you are contracted to work – you can be a whole-time or part-time regular firefighter, a retained duty system firefighter or a volunteer. If, at a later time, you are moved to a firefighting role that does not include resolution of operational incidents, you can remain a scheme member provided there is continuity of service.
Firefighters serving before 1 April 2015 and members of FPS 1992 or FPS 2006, will have been transferred compulsorily to FPS 2015 on 1 April 2015 unless on 1 April 2012 they were:
(a) a member of FPS 1992 and within 10 years of the FPS 1992 normal pension age (55),
(b) a member of FPS 2006 and within 10 years of the FPS 2006 normal retirement age (60), or
(c) a member of FPS 1992 or FPS 2006 and covered by "tapered protection" rules.
Those in categories (a) and (b) above can remain a member of their current scheme until retirement; those in category (c) can remain a member of their current scheme until they reach the date at which their tapered protection ends.
Those who are compulsorily transferred from an earlier scheme, whether at 1 April 2015, or at a later date under tapered protection rules, are considered eligible to be members of FPS 2015 even if they no longer satisfy the operational requirements set out above, provided that there is continuity of service.
Firefighter members of FPS 1992 or FPS 2006 who choose to opt out of their current scheme can join FPS 2015 if they meet the operational and legal requirements for admission.