The NHS pension, understood

For most dentists it's the single most valuable financial asset they'll ever hold — and the easiest to damage through inattention. We keep it working while you work.

Why it needs a specialist

A pension that doesn't behave like a pension

The NHS pension for dental practitioners has its own physics. Your benefits grow on career earnings, contributions are tiered and can be annualised, growth is measured in a way that can trigger annual allowance charges in good years, and the McCloud remedy has rewritten many dentists' statements retrospectively.

None of this is a reason to fear the scheme — it remains exceptional value. It's a reason to have someone competent watching it.

What we do, every year, as standard

Reconcile superannuation — deductions checked against actual pensionable earnings, errors chased and corrected
Monitor annual allowance — growth estimated before the tax year ends, so there's time to act rather than react
Check annualisation — contribution tiers verified for part-year and variable working patterns
Sense-check statements — including McCloud remedy figures, which have been wrong often enough to warrant scepticism
Model big decisions — incorporation, going private-heavy, opting out or retiring: each one quantified with the pension included

Where the line is: we handle the tax and the numbers. Where a decision needs regulated financial advice — transfers, retirement options, investments — we work alongside your IFA, or introduce you to one who genuinely knows the NHS scheme.

Pension FAQs

What dentists ask us about the NHS pension

Why do my superannuation deductions need checking?

Because they're frequently wrong. Deductions are often based on estimated pensionable earnings that no one revisits, and errors compound quietly for years. We reconcile deductions against your actual pensionable pay every year as standard.

What is annualisation?

For dental practitioners, contribution tiers can be set by reference to annualised income — so part-year working, career breaks or unusual patterns can push you into a different contribution tier than you'd expect. It's a dentist-specific quirk that generalist accountants routinely miss.

Will I get an annual allowance tax charge?

Possibly, if your pension growth in a year exceeds the annual allowance — £60,000 for most people, tapering down for high earners. NHS scheme growth is calculated in a way that can spike in high-earning years. We monitor your position and, where a charge does arise, help you weigh paying it versus Scheme Pays.

What does incorporation do to my NHS pension?

NHS earnings routed through a limited company generally can't be pensioned in the NHS scheme. That's the hidden price of incorporating NHS income, and for many dentists it outweighs the tax saving. It's the first thing we model in any incorporation review.

Ready when you are

When did someone last check your pension position?

If the honest answer is 'never', book a free review. We'll look at your superannuation, your allowance headroom and your statement — and tell you plainly what, if anything, needs fixing.

Book a pension check Why only dentists

The monthly dental numbers email

One short email a month: deadlines coming up, rule changes that affect dentists, and one number worth checking in your practice. No spam, unsubscribe any time.