If the selected medical practitioner (SMP) decides you are permanently medically unfit for the ordinary duties of a member of the police force, but not permanently medically unfit for any regular employment, and there are no suitable alternative duties that you could undertake within the police force (taking into account both your medical condition(s) and capabilities), the Police Pension Authority will decide whether or not to retire you on those grounds.
If you are an active member and the Police Pension Authority decides to retire you, you will be entitled to a lower tier ill-health pension payable immediately if:
- you have at least two years’ qualifying service and are permanently medically unfit for the ordinary duties of a member of the police force; or regardless of whether you have 2 years’ qualifying service, if you are permanently medically unfit as a result of an injury received without your own default in the execution of duty
- you are eligible for ill-health benefits
A lower tier ill-health pension is calculated in the same way as a retirement pension payable at normal pension age (NPA), but without subtracting the early payment reduction.
The amount of your accrued pension at the date of retirement is not enhanced.
You will be able to commute part of your ill-health pension for a lump sum if you wish – see Scheme flexibility for more information on this.
You may also have other rights in the 1987 scheme or the 2006 scheme (see section 12 ‘Tapered protection and members with accrued rights under the 1987 Scheme or the 2006 Scheme’).
Example
A 45-year-old member retires from the 2015 scheme on grounds of lower tier ill health after being found to be permanently medically unfit for the ordinary duties of a member of the force.
S/he has an accrued pension of £15,000 per year at the point of retirement.
Her/his accrued pension of £15,000 will be payable immediately without reduction.
At retirement, the member has the option to commute pension for lump sum at a rate of £12 of lump sum for every £1 of pension given up. The commutation lump sum cannot be larger than 25% of the value of the member’s pension.