Skip to main content
Department of Justice Department of Justice An Roinn Dlí agus Cirt Männystrie O tha Laa

Main navigation

  • Home
  • Topics
  • Publications
  • Consultations
  • Contact

Translation help

Translate this page

Select a language

  • Arabic — عربي
  • Chinese (Simplified) — 中文简体
  • Chinese (Traditional) — 中文繁體
  • Dutch — Nederlands
  • Filipino — Filipino
  • French — Français
  • German — Deutsch
  • Hungarian — Magyar
  • Irish — Gaeilge
  • Italian — Italiano
  • Latvian — Latviešu
  • Lithuanian — Lietuvių kalba
  • Polish — Polski
  • Portuguese — Português
  • Romanian — Română
  • Russian — Русский
  • Slovak — Slovenčina
  • Spanish — Español
  • Ukrainian — Українська
  • Northern Ireland Judicial Pension Scheme

    Topics:
    • Justice and the law, 
    • Northern Ireland Judicial Pension Scheme

    As part of changes to judicial pension arrangements, a new governance framework has been established over judicial pension schemes to ensure confidence in the scheme of both scheme members and taxpayers.

    Privacy Notice

    • Northern Ireland judicial pension scheme board privacy notice

    Pension Scheme and Advisory Board

    The Northern Ireland Judicial Pension Scheme (NIJPS) was established by the Department of Justice on 1 April 2015 under the Judicial Pensions Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015 (the scheme regulations). It is a career-average revalued earnings scheme open to specified members of the devolved judiciary (that is, judicial office-holders in Northern Ireland who are not listed in paragraph 11 of Schedule 2 to the Northern Ireland Act 1998).

    • The Public Service Pensions Act (Northern Ireland) 2014 (Judicial Offices) Order (Northern Ireland) 2015

    Specified members of the excepted judiciary (those office-holders who are listed) are eligible to join the equivalent Judicial Pension Scheme, which was established by the Lord Chancellor. Judicial office-holders (both devolved and excepted) with transitional protection may remain part of the predecessor to these schemes (known as JuPRA), for which the Lord Chancellor is also responsible. For further information about these schemes, contact the Ministry of Justice.

    • The Public Service Pensions Act 2013 (Judicial Offices) Order 2015

    Scheme guide

    The NIJPS closed to future accruals from 1 April 2022. From this date all scheme members moved to the Judicial Pension Scheme (JPS) 2022. The Lord Chancellor is the Scheme Manager for JPS 2022 and the Ministry of Justice is responsible for managing and administering the scheme on their behalf.

    The features of the NIJPS are set out in the scheme guide , which also includes contact details for queries.

    • Judicial Pension Scheme Guide

    Governance

    The governance of the NIJPS has three elements: the scheme manager, the pension board and the scheme advisory board.

    The Department of Justice is the scheme manager of the NIJPS and as such is responsible for managing and administering the scheme. The day-to-date administration of the scheme is contracted out to Punter Southall Ltd by the Ministry of Justice as part of a contract for administering all UK judicial pension schemes. Queries about the scheme should be directed to XPS Group at mojadmin@xpsplc.com

    Northern Ireland Judicial Pension Board

    The Northern Ireland Judicial Pension Board is responsible for assisting the Department of Justice as scheme manager of the NIJPS:

    • to secure compliance with the scheme regulations, any other legislation relating to the governance and administration of the NIJPS, and any requirements imposed by the Pensions Regulator in relation to the NIJPS
    • in the performance of the scheme manager’s functions under the scheme regulations.

    The Board is also charged with making recommendations to the scheme manager as part of Stage 2 of the NIJPS internal dispute resolution procedure, and in relation to the exercise by the scheme manager of certain discretions under the scheme regulations.

    • Pension Board internal dispute resolution

    Terms of reference

    • Terms of reference

    Membership

    The Board consists of an independent chair appointed by the Department of Justice and equal numbers of employer representatives and member representatives appointed by the chair with the approval respectively of the Department of Justice and the Lady Chief Justice of Northern Ireland.

    NameRoleEmployment and job title (where relevant)How appointed
    Russell AgiusIndependent chair Appointed by the scheme manager
    Elaine ToppingEmployer representativeChief Operating Officer, Northern Ireland Courts and Tribunals ServiceAppointed by the chair with the approval of the scheme manager
    Maxine OrrMember representativePresident of the Industrial Tribunals and Fair Employment Tribunal 
        

    Members interests

    • Board members' interests

    Meetings, agendas and minutes

    The Board meets on a quarterly basis. Northern Ireland Pension Board meetings listed below:

    MeetingDateAgenda and minutes
    1st meeting24 March 2015March 2015
    2nd meeting5 May 2015May 2015
    3rd meeting16 July 2015July 2015
    4th meeting22 October 2015October 2015
       
    MeetingDateAgenda and minutes
    5th 6th 7th and 8th meeting28 January, April and July 2016
    • Agendas and minutes for 2016
    9th,10th, 11th and 12th meetingFebruary 2017, April and August, October 2017
    • Agendas and minutes for 2017
    13th, 14th and 15thJanuary 2018, April 2018, October 2018
    • Agendas and minutes for 2018
    16th, 17th, 18th, 19th, 20, 21stJanuary 2019, February 2019, March 2019, August 2019,September 2019,December 2019, December 2019
    • Agendas and minutes 2019
    22nd, 23rd, 24th and 25thMarch 2020, June 2020, September 2020, December 2020
    • Agendas and minutes 2020
    26thMarch 2021
    • Agenda and minutes 2021
    27th, 28th22, Febuary 22, March 22
    • Agendas and minutes 2022
    15thMarch 2023
    • Agenda and minutes 2023
    16thApril 2024
    • Agendas and Minutes 2024
     

     

    March 2025

    • Agendas and Minutes 2025

    Northern Ireland Judicial Pension Scheme Advisory Board

    The Northern Ireland Judicial Pension Scheme Advisory Board is to provide advice to the Department of Justice on the desirability of any changes to the NIJPS.

    • Advisory Board: Terms of Reference

    Membership

    NameRoleEmployment and job title (where relevant)How appointed
    Russell AgiusIndependent chair Appointed by the Department of Justice
    Elaine ToppingEmployer representativeChief Operating Officer, Northern Ireland Courts and Tribunals ServiceAppointed by the chair with the approval of the scheme manager
    Maxine OrrMember representative
     
    President of the Industrial Tribunals and Fair Employment Tribunal 

    Advisory Board members' interests

    • Register of Advisory Board members' interests

    Board meetings, agenda and minutes 2015

    MeetingDateAgenda and minutes
    1st meeting24 March 2015March 2015
    2nd meeting05 May 2015May 2015
    3rd meeting16 July 2015July 2015
    4th meeting22 Oct 2015October 2015
       

    Board meetings, agenda and minutes

    DateAgenda and minutes
    2019
    • 2019
    2020
    • 2020
    2021
    • 2021
    2023
    • 2023

    What we are doing

    • Consultation on proposed amendment to the Judicial Pension Regulations NI 2015
    • Judicial Pension Scheme Information Notices
    • HMRC annual allowance limit
    • Communication to members
    • Annual reports and accounts
    • Consultation on new Northern Ireland judicial pension scheme
    • Judicial pensions regulations NI 2015 transitional and consequential amendments
    • Review of forfeiture provisions in the judicial judiciary in Northern Ireland
    • Consultation on amendments to the Northern Ireland judicial pension scheme

    Related content

    • Department of Justice Judicial Pension Cases
    Share this page Share on Facebook (external link opens in a new window / tab) Share on X (external link opens in a new window / tab) Share by email (external link opens in a new window / tab)

    Department footer links

    • Crown copyright
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy
    • Cookies
    • Accessibility
    • The Northern Ireland Executive
    • The Executive Office
    • Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs
    • Department for Communities
    • Department for Education
    • Department for the Economy
    • Department of Finance
    • Department for Infrastructure
    • Department for Health
    • Department of Justice
    • nidirect.gov.uk — the official government website for Northern Ireland citizens