The Old Police Pensions

(For officers joining the scheme before 1st April, 2006)
The Police Pension Scheme has changed for officers joining after April 2006.

Ordinary Pensions

Police Officers who were serving on or before the 7th August, 1 961, are entitled to receive a retirement pension on completion of 25 or more years service. Officers joining after that date may retire at any time after completing 25 years service, but will not receive a pension until they attain the age of 50 years, or have completed 30 years service, whichever is the sooner.

Ill-Health Pension

Granted where a policeman is permanently disabled and has 2 years pensionable service or disablement is as the result of an injury received in the execution of his duty, length of service not applicable in latter case. Ill-health pensions .are now enhanced, depending upon members pensionable service.

Injury Pensions

Granted where a police officer is permanently disabled as a result of an injury, received in the execution of duty without his own default. This is merely an additional pension to supplement an ill-health pension and is reduced by the amount of any National Insurance or Industrial Injury Award.

Preservation of Pensions for Early Leavers

Policemen leaving service who have completed 2 or more years service may have their pensions deferred and paid on attaining 60 years of age.

Qualifying Period for Pensions

Two years for ill-health and short service pension. If under 2 years, return of pension contributions or gratuity.

Commutation of Pension

An officer may commute a portion of a retirement pension, short service or ill-health award and receive a lump sum in lieu. The officer must have completed 25 years service, except in cases of ill-health and compulsory retirement. No portion of an injury pension may be commuted. An officer is not required to undergo a medical examination before commuting.

Allocation of Pension

An officer may allocate a portion of his pension to provide an additional pension for his widow or dependant. This allocation may be made at any time after the officer has completed 25 years’ service and may also be made just prior to retirement. The amount to additional pension depends on the age of the officer and the age of his dependant.

Calculation of Pension

Based on average pensionable pay over the last year of service or best year of last 3 years of service. 3OI6Oths at 25 years’ service and 1/60th for each completed six months and 1/365 for each day of service up to a maximum of 40/60ths (30 years service).

Widow’s Pension

A widow of a police officer is automatically entitled to a pension if her husband has 3 or more years’ pensionable service. If the husband was not entitled to reckon 3 years’ pensionable service, then a gratuity is payable. Depending upon option made by husband and rate of pension contributions paid whilst in service, basically there are three schemes, i.e. flat rate pension, improved scheme based on I 80ths (a third), and improved scheme based on I 2Oths (a half) of husband’s average pensionable pay.

Death in Service Benefit

Serving officers who die of any cause, their dependants will receive two times there annual salary as a lump sum.

Death and Disability Disablement Lump Sum.

A Police Officer killed in the execution of his duty or who is totally and permanently disabled and is awarded 100% injury award by the Force Medical Officer within 12 months of retirement, will be awarded a lump sum equal to five times his salary, for dependents.

Children’s Allowance

Payable normally with flat rate pension and new widow’s half rate pension, until 16 years of age, but may be extended to 19 years of age if child is receiving full-time education.

Compulsory Retirement

Chief Constable and Assistant Chief Constable on attaining 65 years of age. Superintendent and Inspector on attaining 65 years of age. Sergeant and Constable on attaining 60 years of age.

Transfer of Pension Rights

Policemen coming from or going to certain other occupations may be allowed to count a proportion of their previous pensionable service towards a police pension or other occupational pension scheme. From 1988 new legislation has .applied to all pension schemes which allows transfers to private pension plans.

DO NOT BE TEMPTED TO LEAVE THE POLICE PENSION SCHEME — IT IS STILL THE BEST VALUE OF ANY ON OFFER.

POLICE PENSIONS COMMUTATION TABLE

1. The table is prepared by the Government Actuary’s Department and is subject to periodic review; it takes account of the fact that, in general women live longer than men.
2. Notice of commutation takes effect on the date of your retirement or the date your notice is received by your police authority; whichever is later. Once it has become effective you cannot amend or cancel your notice.
3. (a) If you are required to retire on reaching a particular age your age next birthday should be taken as that age.
(b) If you plan to retire in circumstances other than in (a) above you should make your last day of service at least 2 days before your birthday to ensure that is the ‘next birthday’ used for calculating your lump sum.

Age next Birthday when pension becomes  payable (subject to Note 3 below)	Capital sum for each pound of pension commuted
	Men. £	Women £
50 and under	15.00	17.25
51	15.00	17.25
52	14.90	17.05
53.	14.80	16.85
54.	14.65	16.60
55	14.50	16.25
56	14.25	16.00
57	13.90	15.75
58.	13.55	15.50
59	13.20	(5.20
60	13.00	15.00
61	12.70	14.70

 

POLICE PENSIONS.

All questions relating to Pensions should be referred to:
The Federation Office, HQ, ext. 44434.