Police Retirement FAQ’s

From Active Membership:

• Police Pension Scheme 1987 (PPS87)
  • From age 50 with at least 25 years of pensionable service
  • 30 years pensionable service (no age restriction)
  • From age 55-65 depending on rank
• New Police Pension Scheme 2006 (PPS06)
  • Age 55
• Police Pension Scheme 2015 (PPS15)
  • Normal Pension Age: 60
  • Early retirement: Age 55 (with actuarial reduction)

When you are a member of 2 different Pension Schemes (Example PPS87 and PPS15)

• If you have 25 years’ pensionable service across both schemes you can retire with an immediate pension, in respect of the PPS87, once you reach age 50 (restricted lump sum).  The benefits accrued in the PPS15 will be deferred until a later date.
• If you have 30 years’ pensionable service across both schemes, you may retire with an immediate pension at / after age 48 and receive payment of the benefits accrued in the PPS87. The benefits accrued in the PPS15 will be deferred until a later date.

(*not applicable to ill-health retirement)

• If you are an active member, please contact your Human Resources Department (Avon & Somerset Constabulary HR)
• If you are a deferred member, please contact us via Member Self Service

• Avon & Somerset Constabulary HR will send us all the information we need to calculate your benefits.
• We will publish your pension quotation and appropriate forms to Member Self Service (or send via post) before your last day of service. You should complete, sign and upload all the relevant forms on your Member Self Service (or return them by post).
• Once we receive your completed forms, your pension will be set up and lump sum paid at the appropriate time.
• We will notify HMRC of your pension payments who will determine your tax code and notify Peninsula Pensions, which will make any necessary adjustments to your pension.

• Your pension benefits are calculated based on your average pensionable pay, which is normally your pensionable pay for your final 12 months of pensionable service. If your pensionable pay in one of the preceding two years was higher, then this will be used instead.
• Average pensionable pay is always the Full Time Equivalent pay and is only applicable to Final Salary Schemes (PPS87 & PPS06).

• Your pension benefits are calculated based on your average pensionable pay, which is normally your pensionable pay for your final 12 months of pensionable service. If your pensionable pay in one of the preceding two years was higher, then this will be used instead.
• Average pensionable pay is always the Full Time Equivalent pay and is only applicable to Final Salary Schemes (PPS87 & PPS06).

Police Headquarters will forward payment of your commutation by BACS, direct to your bank on the first working day after your retirement or shortly after.

Your pension is payable to your bank monthly in advance on the first banking day of each month, for life, except that:

• It may be suspended or reduced (abated) if you undertake further Police Officer employment. If you enter such employment, you should inform Peninsula Pensions at once.
• It may be wholly or partly withdrawn for misconduct as prescribed in Regulation K5 of the Police Pension Regulations 1987 and Part 13 Chapter 5 of the Police Pension Regulations 2015.

The first payment will include any arrears due.

Your pension benefits are taxable income. Your monthly pension will be taxed using a temporary tax code 0T M1 (no tax-free allowance) until HMRC instruct us to use a different code. All tax deducted will be reported to the HMRC. If you have a query regarding the tax code assigned to your pension you should contact HMRC on 0300 200 3300 or www.gov.uk/personal-tax-account.

Your pension is linked to the Consumer Price Index which charts the price of various goods and services over a period of time. This figure is applied annually to your pension and deferred benefits via the Public Service Pensions Increase act.

If you are under age 55, increases to any pension in payment will not be applied until age 55 (unless you are ill-health retired from active service).

The Protected Pension Age can be lost if a member is re-employed by the same (“sponsoring”) employer from which the Police Pension is paid. Losing the Protected Pension Age would then mean payments from the scheme, potentially including any pension and lump sum already paid, would be Unauthorised Payments and subject to tax charges of 40%+.

For the Protected Pension Age 50-54, you do not have to be classed as “connected” with the sponsoring employer.  Therefore, to avoid losing the Protected Pension Age on re-employment you need to:

• have a break of at least 1 month and the re-employment is “materially different”.
• have a break of at least one month and have your pension assessed for possible abatement (reduction)

“Materially different” covers being re-employed as staff/non-uniform, even if the employment may require you to undertake some/similar activities as you previously did as a police officer.

If you are re-employed as a police officer, PPS87 and PPS06 benefits are currently abated until employment cessation.

Ill health retirement is when you take your pension benefits early due to ill health. Depending on the ill health tier you’re awarded, benefits are either unreduced or enhanced.

To apply for an ill-health retirement, you need to contact your HR. Employers have their own process that will involve an independent qualified medical practitioner. A forma estimate will be requested by HR during this process and all relevant documents are issued to peninsula pensions in due course.