Students working part time in the NHS - pension query

[MidLifeCrisis007]

Does anyone know whether it's worth DD (19) paying pension contributions at this stage? I know most occupational schemes require you to opt in from aged 22. She's a med student and likely to be doing 8hrs of paid work a week as an HCA.

I know (or believe) it's a DB scheme based on career earnings, but at this stage her earnings are modest and her student loan is crippling!

A pension deduction was made from her first pay packet.

As she's likely to end up in the NHS, starting her pension now might be useful as it gives her more 'years', which is what her pension will be calculated on. The employer contribution is also very generous.

If it’s affordable she should but if not, she’s got plenty of years to pay in!

A back of fag packet calculation suggests paying in now will give her the grand total of £240 a year extra on her pension, £20 a month. I imagine she'll need the spare cash now rather than an extra £20 a month in 50 years time.

Thank you very much for that @titchy. That's what I was thinking. As the pension contribution was 9.8% of her gross pay (that's her contribution only not the NHS'), I may need to advise her to opt out at this stage!

Can I ask whethere you have to have completed a couple of years before this starts? I know my DD (1st yr) would be interested in this?

9.8 is for around band 6, she will be band 2 so the % contribution will be around 5.6%

I've PMed you. She is definitely paying 9.8% (it even specifically says NHS pension 9.8% on her payslip) and she's band 3.