Northern Ireland’s Department of Health has signed off new contribution bands for the Health and Social Care (HSC) Pension Scheme. The rule was made on 6 February 2026, takes effect on 2 March 2026, and applies retrospectively from 1 April 2025. It carries the consent of the Department of Finance. (niassembly.gov.uk)

The six rates remain at 5.2%, 6.7%, 8.5%, 10.0%, 10.9% and 12.7%, but the thresholds that decide who pays what have been lifted. In plain terms, contributions of 5.2% apply up to £13,259; 6.7% from £13,260 to £27,797; 8.5% from £27,798 to £33,868; 10.0% from £33,869 to £50,845; 10.9% from £50,846 to £65,190; and 12.7% above £65,191. (niassembly.gov.uk)

Officials say the uplift delivers a ‘better of’ test first trailed in 2024: thresholds are increased automatically by September CPI and, if the Agenda for Change (AfC) pay award is higher, legislation then lifts them further. For 2025/26, CPI was 1.7% but AfC ran at 3.6%, so the higher figure has been applied to the bands. (niassembly.gov.uk)

The Department’s explanatory note frames the change as a fairness tweak: keeping staff from drifting into a higher tier solely because of a national pay rise. It also confirms the structure mirrors moves taken across NHS schemes in England, Wales and Scotland for this scheme year. (niassembly.gov.uk)

Scope matters for primary care. The rule updates the earnings tables used for HSC employees and, separately, for practitioners and non‑GP providers. Because GPs and non‑GP providers reconcile against the previous year’s earnings, the regulations preserve last year’s table for that look‑back while applying the new, higher thresholds going forward. (niassembly.gov.uk)

For payroll teams in trusts and GP practices, the headline is simple but urgent: re‑run contribution checks from 1 April 2025, not just from March’s pay. The Assembly record lists the end of the statutory period as 10 March 2026, but the rule operates under negative resolution, so it comes into force while scrutiny continues. (niassembly.gov.uk)

On the shop floor, part‑time staff should note contributions are based on actual annual pay rather than whole‑time equivalent, which can lower what many pay compared with older rules. Employer contributions remain at 23.2% of pensionable pay. (hscpensions.hscni.net)

Background papers from HSC Pensions set out why rates moved last year and why tier one was left alone: the scheme needed to reach a 9.8% member yield and so raised most tiers by 0.2%, signalling that the very lowest tier would be reviewed separately in future. (hscpensions.hscni.net)

Sealed by senior officials Philip Rodgers (Health) and Patrick Neeson (Finance), the regulation brings Northern Ireland into line with wider UK pension housekeeping while centring local pay realities. Trusts, GP federations and payroll providers across the region should check back‑pay calculations and update staff communications before March runs. (niassembly.gov.uk)