Guidance on ill health retirement

Doctors are increasingly being asked by their patients to provide a report in support of an application for them to retire from work on the grounds of ill health. There is evidence that some applications may be motivated more by financial incentives than by ill health. Doctors should be wary of a conflict of interest, know the pension company's criteria for ill health retirement and provide objective medical evidence. The decision as to whether the patient fulfils the criteria is best left to another doctor who is acting as an advisor to the pension company.