Matthews Second Option Exercise - Are You Affected?

Nottinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service is reminding current and former colleagues about the Matthews Firefighters' Pension Remedy, which primarily affects people with historic retained/on-call firefighter service.

The statutory implementation deadline for the current exercise is 1 April 2027. 

You may potentially be affected if you:

• previously worked as a retained/on-call firefighter during the relevant periods:
• 7 April 2000 to 30 June 2000;
• 7 April 2000 to 30 June and 1 July 2000 to 5 April 2006; or
• 1 July 2000 to 5 April 2006, where you were not given reasonable opportunity to join as part of the first options exercise;
• were not able or given the opportunity to join the appropriate Firefighters' Pension Scheme;
• opted out of pension membership during relevant service; or
• have previously been contacted about the Matthews/retained firefighters' pension exercise.

Changes introduced in April 2026 also created additional provisions for some members relating to opted-out service, conversion of pension service and certain death and survivor benefits.

Already contacted about Matthews?

If your case is already being considered, you do not need to submit another enquiry. Please respond promptly to any correspondence or options information you receive by the lastest 31 December 2026.

Think you could be affected but haven't been contacted?

Please contact pensionqueries@notts-fire.gov.uk as soon as possible (no later than 31 December 2026) so that your circumstances can be checked.

Former members may also be affected, so please share this information with former NFRS retained/on-call colleagues who may not otherwise see it.

Please note it is your responsibility to seek independent financial advice, if you deem it necessary, on whether to proceed. Fire and Rescue Authorities (FRAs) can only provide a statement of cost and information about the provisions of the scheme.