The Hampshire & Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service are currently carrying out an exercise to identify any current or former on-call/retained firefighters who could be eligible for additional pension amounts through the Matthews Remedy.

This applies to ‘on-call’/’retained’ firefighters who were employed:

• Any date between 7 April 2000 to 30 June 2000 inclusive; or
• Any date between 7 April 2000 to 30 June 2000 inclusive plus any date between 1 July 2000 to 5 April 2006 inclusive; or
• Any date between 1 July 2000 to 5 April 2006 inclusive and were eligible to take part in the first options exercise but were not given the opportunity to do so 

Full details and eligibility are available on the HIWFRS website www.hantsfire.gov.uk/matthews-pensions-remedy/.

This is a very genuine opportunity open to particular group of on-call/retained firefighters and could involve life-changing income for those eligible. There is the need to buy-back pension contributions, but all of this may be taken from the amount potentially owed and open up possible back-payment to the individual and an ongoing firefighter pension scheme.

There has been some coverage by the BBC and Moneybox recently
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cn5k5gykvklo

There is also a Fire and Rescue Service Association (previously known as the Retained Firefighters Union) podcast involving a Local Government Association senior firefighter pension advisor here: Second Options Exercise Walk-Through

Our advice is that all those who served in the periods shown above would be wise to consider what it may mean for them and to register interest for more detail/consideration.

This is a very real and genuine opportunity which may be simply missed by colleagues not realising they were/are eligible. Some may have applied before and rejected and it may be prudent to consider the options again, as they have increased in number.