Affected by the 2015-2022 remedy period? This calculator models the standard 2015 CARE rules. For a remedy comparison:
Read McCloud Guide →From optional commutation
Based on 2.5% growth
Estimated using compound annual salary growth. Used for modelling purposes only.
Updated: 25/02/2026 • Illustrations only • Not advice
Service between 1 April 2015 and 31 March 2022 is subject to the Deferred Choice Underpin (DCU). This means you will choose between legacy (1987/2006) or reformed (2015) benefits for that period at the time you retire.
This calculator models standard 2015 CARE rules for all service post-2015. For detailed rollback modelling and to understand how the remedy affects your specific dates, see our dedicated guide.
Planning a remedy decision? Understand both legacy and CARE outcomes before choosing.
Police McCloud Remedy Explained (2026) →Understanding the statutory formulas and logic used across the three national police pension schemes.
Depends on scheme and years served.
Post-2015 uses Career Average (CARE).
Overtime is almost always excluded.
The 1987 scheme is a final salary arrangement known for its 'double accrual' feature, allowing officers to reach a full pension in just 30 years.
1/60 per year
30 Years
Up to 3x Pension
30 Yrs Service
The 2006 scheme introduced a longer service requirement (35 years) and a different lump sum structure, while maintaining final salary benefits.
1/70 per year
35 Years
4x Pension
Age 55
The 2015 scheme moved to a Career Average (CARE) model. Instead of a final salary calculation, each year's earnings contribute a 'slice' to your final retirement pot.
1/55.3 per year
CPI + 1.25%
None (Unlimited)
Age 60
A calculator provides a model based on broad averages. Individual complexity often changes the final award.
Service between 2015-2022 is subject to a deferred choice, potentially reverting it to legacy 1987 or 2006 terms.
Many officers have service spanning multiple schemes with different payable ages and accrual rules.
Retirement on medical grounds can trigger 'upper' or 'lower' tier enhancements depending on severity.
Taking your pension before the normal pension age (e.g. at 55 in the 2015 scheme) causes an actuarial reduction.
Trading annual pension for a lump sum is permanent and uses factors that change based on your age.
Pro-rata service and salary calculations can significantly lower the final outcome compared to full-time models.
Periods of unpaid leave, including career breaks, do not generally count as pensionable service.
Higher earners may face annual or lifetime allowance tax charges that reduce the net value of benefits.
Technical framework for the 2026 Pension Model.
Salary growth is modelled using compound annual growth. Early retirement reductions and commutation factors assume standard Government Actuary’s Department (GAD) benchmarks.
Likely 1987 Scheme
Subject to McCloud remedy for 2015-2022 period.
Likely 2006 Scheme
Final salary scheme with automatic lump sum.
2015 CARE Scheme
All service accrued under CARE regulations.
To understand how legacy benefits and reformed service interact, view our McCloud remedy guide.
A calculator gives you numbers. A retirement decision requires context.
1987 vs 2006 vs 2015 rules.
Am I eligible for the rollback?
Early retirement impact analysis.
Regulations if you can't work.
Why accurate calculation matters.
Moving pots in or out.
This calculator provides independent, neutral estimates based on statutory scheme formulas. It is designed to empower officers with data, not to replace formal financial consultations.
Disclaimer: This calculator provides unofficial estimates only and is NOT regulated financial advice.
The normal retirement age is 60 under the 2015 scheme and 55 under the 2006 scheme. Legacy 1987 rules may allow earlier retirement depending on service. Many officers have 'mixed' service across these schemes, making individual retirement dates dependent on specific service history and the McCloud remedy choice.
A full police pension after 30 years is typically two-thirds of final salary in the 1987 scheme, while the 2015 scheme has no maximum service cap. Under the legacy 1987 scheme, 30 years of service resulted in a 'full' pension of 40/60ths due to 'double accrual'. In the 2015 CARE scheme, you accrue 1/55.3 of your pay each year with no limit on service length.
The 2015 CARE scheme is one of the most generous defined benefit schemes in the UK public sector, offering a high accrual rate of 1/55.3. While it moved away from the final salary model, it remains significantly more valuable than most private sector pension schemes due to the 1.25% + CPI revaluation and heavy employer contributions.
Police pensions are calculated using statutory formulas based on either Final Salary (1987/2006) or Career Average Revalued Earnings (2015 CARE). The 1987 and 2006 schemes use a Service/Accrual Rate x Final Pay logic. The 2015 scheme uses CARE logic, where 1/55.3 of your pay each year is added to a pot and revalued annually to maintain its value.
Yes, you can take a police pension from age 55 in the 2015 scheme, but it will be actuarially reduced for early payment. In the legacy 1987 scheme, many officers could retire at 50 or 55 with an immediate pension after 30 years of service. If you have mixed service, different parts of your pension may be payable at different ages.
If you leave early with at least two years of service, your pension becomes 'deferred' and is uprated annually by CPI until your retirement age. It remains in the scheme and is protected against inflation. You stop accruing new service but do not lose the employer contributions or benefits already earned up to your leave date.
No, overtime is non-pensionable pay in the majority of UK police forces and does not increase your pension value. Pension contributions are only deducted from your basic salary and specific pensionable allowances. This means casual overtime, rest day working, and public holiday payments do not affect your final pension calculation.
Yes, promotion increases your pension by raising the 'Final Salary' in legacy schemes or increasing the value of annual 'CARE slices' in the 2015 scheme. In the 1987/2006 schemes, a late-career promotion has a massive impact. In the 2015 scheme, the benefit is gradual as it only applies to the years worked at the higher rank.