PSNI Injury Benefit &
Ill-Health Retirement
Northern Ireland has its own injury benefit regulations, its own decision-maker in the Policing Board, a single Independent Medical Referee on appeal, and, since July 2024, a legal duty on doctors to follow the Board's medical guidance. The award bands are the same as elsewhere in the UK. This guide sets out what applies to PSNI officers, from Northern Ireland sources.
Independent information, not advice · Sources checked 7 October 2026 · England and Wales unless stated
Injury awards come under the PSNI and PSNI Reserve (Injury Benefit) Regulations 2006, with the same band percentages and three-quarters pension offset as England and Wales. The Northern Ireland Policing Board decides, after a Selected Medical Practitioner answers four medical questions; PSNI Pensions Branch pays. Since 2 July 2024 SMPs and appeal referees must have regard to the Board's guidance. Appeals go to an Independent Medical Referee within 28 days plus 28. Ill-health retirement for serving officers runs under the Northern Ireland 2015 scheme.
Our other injury and ill-health guides describe England and Wales. This page says where Northern Ireland differs. The regulation numbers are different too: the Northern Ireland injury regulations are numbered one lower than the England and Wales ones for most provisions, so check the map below before comparing.
Northern Ireland and England and Wales at a glance
| Topic | England and Wales | Northern Ireland |
|---|---|---|
| Injury award rules | Police (Injury Benefit) Regulations 2006 (SI 2006/932) | PSNI and PSNI Reserve (Injury Benefit) Regulations 2006 (SR 2006/268) |
| Who decides | The police pension authority (for most officers, the chief constable) | The Northern Ireland Policing Board, in the first instance (reg 29(1)) |
| Who calculates and pays | The force's pension administrator | PSNI Pensions Branch (Board FAQ) |
| Medical questions | Selected Medical Practitioner (SMP) | SMP selected by the Board; must hold at least the Associate of the Faculty of Occupational Medicine or an equivalent (SR 2024/147) |
| Medical guidance | Home Office medical appeal guidance withdrawn in 2022; no replacement found | SMPs and appeal referees must have regard to the Board's guidance (reg 29(7), from 2 July 2024) |
| Medical appeal | Board of medical referees (at least 3 doctors) | Independent Medical Referee (a single referee; a Principal referee where several are appointed) |
| Time limit for a medical appeal | 28 days, then 28 days for grounds | 28 days, then 28 days for grounds |
| Non-medical appeal on an injury award | Crown Court | Appeal tribunal of three, appointed under reg 33; point of law to the High Court |
| Band table | Schedule 3 | Schedule 3: the same percentages |
| Legacy pension schemes | 1987 and 2006 schemes | RUC Pensions Regulations 1988 and the Police Pension (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2009 |
| 2015 scheme accrual | 1/55.3 | 1/55.3 |
The money rules are shared; the institutions and the appeal routes are not. The biggest practical differences for an applicant are the Board's statutory guidance for doctors and the single-referee appeal.
The regulations and how they have changed
Injury awards are made under the Police Service of Northern Ireland and Police Service of Northern Ireland Reserve (Injury Benefit) Regulations 2006 (SR 2006/268). Unlike the Scottish regulations, legislation.gov.uk publishes a revised text that includes later amendments, up to and including SR 2024/147.
- SR 2021/43 (from 1 April 2021) adapted the regulations for officers in the 2015 scheme, including regulation 6A on permanent disablement for 2015 members and changes to pay and contribution definitions.
- SR 2024/147 (made 27 June 2024, in operation 2 July 2024) revoked an earlier 2024 amendment, corrected regulation 6A, and added the duty to have regard to the Board's medical guidance, with new definitions of the SMP, the Independent Medical Referee and a "duly qualified medical practitioner". One correction, to the 2015 pay formula in regulation 3A, has effect from 1 April 2021.
The pension schemes the injury regulations link to are the Royal Ulster Constabulary Pensions Regulations 1988 (the "1988 scheme", the legacy scheme that plays the part the 1987 scheme plays in Great Britain), the Police Pension (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2009 (the "2006 scheme") and the Police Pensions Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015 (SR 2015/113). Schedule 1 to the injury regulations names each of these.
Regulation map: England and Wales to Northern Ireland
If you are reading an England and Wales guide (including ours) alongside the Northern Ireland regulations, this is where each rule sits.
| Rule | England and Wales (SI 2006/932) | Northern Ireland (SR 2006/268) |
|---|---|---|
| Execution of duty; own default | reg 6 | reg 5 |
| Disablement; permanence; treatment assumption | reg 7 | reg 6 |
| 2015 scheme members' disablement | reg 7A (SI 2018/997) | reg 6A (SR 2021/43, amended by SR 2024/147) |
| Caused or substantially contributed | reg 8 | reg 7 |
| Police officer's injury award | reg 11 | reg 10 |
| Total disablement within 12 months | reg 12 | reg 11 |
| Reference of medical questions to the SMP | reg 30 | reg 29 |
| Medical appeal | reg 31 (board of medical referees) | reg 30 (Independent Medical Referee) |
| Reconsideration | reg 32 | reg 31 |
| Refusing to be examined | reg 33 | reg 32 |
| Non-medical appeal | reg 34 (Crown Court) | reg 33 (appeal tribunal) |
| Reassessment of the injury pension | reg 37 | reg 35 |
| Reduction for own default | reg 38 | reg 36 |
Who can get a PSNI injury award
Regulation 10 applies to "a person who ceases or has ceased to be a police officer and is permanently disabled as a result of an injury received without his own default in the execution of his duty". The award is a gratuity plus an injury pension, both under Schedule 3.
- Execution of duty (reg 5). Injured on duty or on a journey necessary to report for or return home from duty; injured because you were known to be a police officer; or the Board is of the opinion that the second condition may be satisfied and the injury should be treated as a duty injury.
- Own default (reg 5(4)). Only if the injury was wholly or mainly due to your own serious and culpable negligence or misconduct.
- Injury includes the mind. Schedule 1 defines injury to include any injury or disease "whether of body or of mind"; regulation 6(8) says infirmity includes a mental disorder.
- Caused or substantially contributed (reg 7). The Board's guidance suggests the duty injury should be "a significant or material cause, but not necessarily a main cause".
- Permanently disabled (reg 6 and 6A). Disabled when the question is decided and likely to be permanent, assuming normal appropriate medical treatment. For 2015 members, "disabled" means medically unfit under Chapter 1 of Part 6 of the 2015 regulations (reg 6A(2) as substituted in 2024).
Two practical rules from the Board's guidance and FAQ:
- A serving officer can apply only if they are being considered for ill-health retirement, or have given notice to retire or resign. If they are not found permanently disabled, they qualify for neither.
- A former officer, including a former RUC officer, can apply at any time after leaving. If you became disabled after you retired, the award is not backdated to retirement: the SMP is asked for a date of disablement, and if it cannot be found it is the date your claim reached the Board (reg 6(7)).
The Board's FAQ also says you are entitled to apply even if you are not a member of the police pension scheme.
The bands and what they pay
Schedule 3 uses the same table as England and Wales and Scotland. The regulations speak of the "degree of disablement"; the Board's FAQ uses bands 1 to 4 as shorthand, and so do we.
| Degree of disablement | Loss of earning capacity | Gratuity | Under 5 years | 5 to under 15 | 15 to under 25 | 25 years or more |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Slight (band 1) | 25% or less | 12.5% | 15% | 30% | 45% | 60% |
| Minor (band 2) | more than 25% but not more than 50% | 25% | 40% | 50% | 60% | 70% |
| Major (band 3) | more than 50% but not more than 75% | 37.5% | 65% | 70% | 75% | 80% |
| Very severe (band 4) | more than 75% | 50% | 85% | 85% | 85% | 85% |
- The injury pension is the minimum income guarantee less 75% of your police pension and less relevant work-related benefits for the same injury. The Board's FAQ gives Employment and Support Allowance and Industrial Injuries Benefit as examples, and says they are deducted whether or not you claim them.
- The State Pension is not taken into account (Board FAQ).
- Regulation 11 pays a larger gratuity (the lesser of 5 times pensionable pay or 4 times the last year's remuneration plus contributions) if a duty injury leaves you totally and permanently disabled within 12 months. The Board's guidance says an SMP who finds very severe disablement is asked to go on to the total disablement questions.
- Being an in-patient in hospital because of the duty injury means you are treated as totally disabled (reg 6(5)).
The arithmetic is explained step by step in our worked examples, which follow the England and Wales schedule; the percentages are identical.
The Policing Board's role
Regulation 29(1) says the question of entitlement "shall be determined in the first instance by the Board". The Board's guidance describes who does what:
- The Board has statutory responsibility for administering all applications for ill-health retirement and injury awards. Its Resources Committee decides whether a pension or award is granted, and has delegated that to nominated staff.
- The PSNI holds service, sickness and injury on duty records and, with your permission, sends copies to the Board. PSNI Occupational Health and Well-being provides confidential medical information and may refer a serving officer to the Board for ill-health retirement.
- The SMP, selected by the Board, conducts the medical assessment and sets out a report and certificate.
- The Department of Justice runs the appeal process, appoints Independent Medical Referees, and is responsible for appeal tribunals on non-medical decisions.
- PSNI Pensions Branch calculates and pays awards (Board FAQ).
The Northern Ireland Audit Office described this split (PSNI holding the budget, the Board administering, the Department responsible for legislation and medical appeals) as one reason the scheme was complex, and called for more joined-up working (March 2020).
Step by step: how a PSNI application runs
Pieced together from the Board's FAQ and the Joint Guidance. The Board's FAQ also contains a process map of the key stages; ask the Board for a copy if you want the full chart.
| Stage | What happens | Where it is set out |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Start (serving officer) | Ill-health retirement starts at the PSNI: speak to your line manager or Occupational Health and Well-being, who may refer you to the Board | Board FAQ; Joint Guidance 2.3 |
| 1. Start (former officer) | Apply to the Board on its Retrospective Injury on Duty Award forms (the Board asks for three forms, printed and completed by hand) | Board application forms page; Joint Guidance 3.1.1 |
| 2. Records | With your permission, the PSNI sends service, sickness and injury on duty records to the Board; OHW provides confidential medical information | Joint Guidance 2.3 |
| 3. Case referral | Board staff prepare a case referral summarising the conditions and incidents for the SMP; the SMP must read all the documents, not just the summary | Joint Guidance section 4 |
| 4. SMP assessment | The SMP answers the statutory questions in a report and certificate, preferably on the day of the appointment | SR 2006/268 reg 29; Joint Guidance 3.3 |
| 5. Decision | The Board decides entitlement and writes to you; if an award is made, PSNI Pensions Branch calculates it | SR 2006/268 reg 29(1); Board FAQ |
| 6. Payment | The first payment, including any lump sum and arrears, is made as soon as practicable after approval; the injury allowance is then paid monthly | Board FAQ |
| 7. If you disagree | 28 days to give the Board notice of appeal against the SMP's report and certificate; the Board's letter explains the process | SR 2006/268 reg 30; Board FAQ |
The SMP is asked four questions for an injury award (reg 29(2)): are you disabled; is it likely to be permanent; is it the result of an injury received in the execution of duty; and what is the degree of disablement. The Board's FAQ adds that the SMP is also asked, as an extra question, the date you became disabled, which sets when payments start.
Where a decision on permanence has already been made under the RUC 1988 regulations, the guidance says it binds the injury award decision, so the SMP goes straight to causation and degree. The regulations make a final decision under the 2009 and 2015 schemes binding in the same way (reg 29(2)).
The 2024 rule: doctors must follow the Board's guidance
Since 2 July 2024, regulation 29(7) says: "An SMP or IMR must have regard to the provisions of the Guidance to Medical Practitioners on Injury on Duty Awards to SMPs and IMRs at all times." SR 2024/147 defines that guidance as the guidance the Board provides to medical practitioners when considering eligibility for an injury award.
The same instrument set minimum qualifications. A "duly qualified medical practitioner" must hold:
- at least the Associate of the Faculty of Occupational Medicine, or the equivalent EEA or Swiss qualification, or any other equivalent qualification acceptable to the Board; and
- current registration with the General Medical Council, or equivalent registration elsewhere.
The Department of Justice consulted on putting the guidance on a statutory footing from 6 November 2023 to 5 January 2024. Before then, the guidance itself said it had no statutory underpinning and that only the courts can give a binding interpretation of the regulations. That caveat still matters: "have regard to" means the doctor must take the guidance into account, not that it overrides the regulations.
The copy we read is the "second version" of the Joint Guidance for Medical Practitioners, released by the Department of Justice under freedom of information. In July 2024 the Board described the Joint Guidance as the only guidance document SMPs and IMRs use, and referred to a September 2016 version; the copy attached to that reply is marked "Version 2 - September 2016", so the second version we read appears to be that one. We could not confirm whether a newer version has been issued since; ask the Board for the version applied in your case.
How the guidance tells SMPs to assess
These points are from the Joint Guidance we read. They explain how Northern Ireland doctors are asked to approach the questions.
- "Likely to be permanent". For the injury award, disablement is considered likely to be permanent if the doctor determines it will last for the rest of the applicant's life, on the balance of probabilities. Where treatment has not been exhausted, the doctor is asked to give the likelihood of permanence if it were obtained. (For ill-health retirement under the 2015 scheme the test runs to normal pension age instead: see below.)
- Ordinary duties. The guidance lists abilities expected of a police officer, such as sitting, writing and using IT, running and standing, making decisions, using reasonable force, and understanding and explaining procedures. It notes that PSNI officers carry personal-issue firearms on operational duty and that the Chief Constable's view is that officers must be capable of the full range of duties in their rank.
- Degree of disablement. Called the "degree of loss of earning capacity" in the guidance. The doctor compares your earning capacity with the injury against a notional position without it, taking account of your medical condition and skills and experience, and decides which band best describes your ability to work.
- Other conditions. Where a duty injury and a separate non-duty condition each reduce earning capacity, only the duty injury's effect counts. Where one injury has duty and non-duty causes and the duty injury substantially contributed, the guidance says the effect should be wholly attributed to duty.
- Timescales the Board applies. An SMP appointment preferably within 8 weeks and no later than 12 weeks of the SMP being selected; the report and certificate on the day, or within 6 to 12 weeks if further records are needed.
- Conflicts of interest. An SMP who has treated or assessed you in the previous 2 years should tell the Board, and a different SMP is appointed unless none is available.
- New conditions. A new condition is treated as a separate application. A new application for the same condition is possible only in three situations (found not disabled, not permanent, or not caused by the incidents put forward), usually through reconsideration with further evidence.
Mental health and PTSD claims in Northern Ireland
The Audit Office reported in 2020 that post-traumatic stress disorder had become one of the most common injuries for which PSNI awards were claimed, and that the legislation, dating from the early 2000s, did not anticipate that change. The regulations treat mental injury in the same way as physical injury:
- "Injury" includes any injury or disease "whether of body or of mind" (Schedule 1), and infirmity includes a mental disorder, injury or condition (reg 6(8)).
- The duty injury must have caused or substantially contributed to the disablement (reg 7). The Board's guidance includes an annex discussing case law on what counts as the execution of duty, including Stunt, Kellam and the Northern Ireland Court of Appeal decision in Starritt and Cartwright [2005] NICA 48.
- The degree of disablement is about earning capacity, not the diagnosis: what work you can do and how much of it.
For how these questions play out for psychological conditions, see our guides to PTSD and the money routes and anxiety, depression and stress. Both follow the England and Wales regulations and case law; the Northern Ireland tests are worded the same way, but Northern Ireland courts and the Board's guidance have the final say here.
Ill-health retirement in the PSNI
For serving officers, ill-health retirement now runs under the Police Pensions Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015 (SR 2015/113). The Board is the police pension authority for members of the PSNI (reg 5).
- The test (regs 72 to 74). Medical unfitness means inability, through infirmity of mind or body, to perform the ordinary duties of a member of the police service, or to engage in regular employment. The SMP must find it likely to continue until normal pension age, or death if earlier, assuming normal appropriate medical treatment.
- Tiers (reg 99). Lower tier: permanently unfit for ordinary duties but not for regular employment. Upper tier: permanently unfit for any regular employment, which for a regular PSNI constable or trainee means an annual average of at least 30 hours a week (reg 2).
- Conditions (reg 100). At least 2 years' qualifying service or unfitness caused by a duty injury without default. Since a 2024 amendment, regulation 100(2)(c) also refers to eligibility "for the period for which the member has paid contributions at the full member contributions rate".
- Retire or retain (reg 80). For a regular PSNI constable, the Board may require you to retire, or to continue to serve, after considering all the circumstances including your input. For Reserve constables and trainees, regulation 80 gives that decision to the Chief Constable.
- Where it starts. The Board's FAQ says all applications originate at the PSNI: contact your line manager or Occupational Health and Well-being, and the Board then prepares the case for the SMP.
The Board's FAQ describes the two levels in plain terms: a standard pension if you cannot do police duties but could work elsewhere, and an enhanced top-up if you cannot do any regular employment of at least 30 hours a week, which can raise the pension "by up to half of the additional pension you might have built up". Officers with legacy service should get their figures from PSNI Pensions Branch.
Appeals in Northern Ireland
| Decision | Route | Time limit | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| SMP's report and certificate on an injury award | Independent Medical Referee appointed through the Department of Justice | Notice to the Board within 28 days of receiving the report (or longer if allowed); grounds within a further 28 days | SR 2006/268 reg 30, Sch 6 |
| SMP's decision on ill-health retirement (2015 scheme) | Independent Medical Referee (more than one, with a Principal IMR, if needed) | 28 days, then 28 days for grounds; at least 2 months' notice of the hearing | SR 2015/113 Sch 1 paras 2 and 3 |
| Board's refusal of a claim or larger injury award; treatment refusal decision; forfeiture | Appeal tribunal of three; point of law to the High Court | Not stated in the regulation; take advice promptly | SR 2006/268 reg 33 |
| Refusal of a pension claim; treatment refusal decision; reduction for default (2015 scheme) | Appeal to the Department of Justice, which appoints a tribunal of three; point of law to the High Court | Not stated in the regulations; take advice promptly | SR 2015/113 regs 206 and 222 |
- A single referee. The IMR assesses you afresh on the same questions as the SMP, and issues a new report and certificate if they disagree. Where more than one condition is involved, the Department appoints a Principal IMR who gives the overall report.
- Evidence. The guidance says both sides must submit written statements or evidence no later than 2 weeks before the hearing, copied through the Department.
- Timescales. The Department expects a hearing appointment preferably within 8 weeks, and no later than 12, after the IMR agrees to act, and the IMR's report within 6 to 12 weeks of the hearing.
- Costs (Sch 6 para 8). Each side bears its own. If the hearing is cancelled or postponed less than 11 days before (excluding weekends and public holidays) because of you, the Board may ask you to contribute, unless the IMR finds you were not at fault; if it is because of the Board, the Board pays your reasonable expenses. If the IMR finds for the Board and reports the appeal frivolous or vexatious, the Board may ask you to pay up to the IMR's fees, unless the IMR finds exceptional reasons. If you win, your reasonable attendance expenses are refunded.
- Reconsideration. You and the Board can agree to send a final decision back to the medical authority (reg 31(2)). The Board's FAQ says the date your award starts is not one of the statutory questions and cannot be appealed on its own, but can be looked at again through reconsideration, an IMR appeal or a tribunal appeal.
Reassessment after an award
Regulation 35 says the Board shall, at suitable intervals, consider whether your degree of disablement has altered, and revise the injury pension if it has substantially altered.
- The Board asks the SMP to suggest review dates, which appear in the SMP's report and certificate (Board FAQ).
- The guidance tells the doctor to consider only the degree of disablement, taking the earlier decision as given, and not to revisit whether duty caused the disablement.
- A "substantial alteration" is taken to mean a movement between bands, up or down. Changes in the job market can matter as well as changes in your health.
- The Board's FAQ says a regulation 35 reassessment reviews the banding only and an award cannot be revoked in its entirety under regulation 35. Separately, regulation 35(2) ends the injury pension if the disability has ceased and you are not also receiving a police pension; ask the Board how it applies that.
- You can ask for a reassessment yourself, using the Board's form and up-to-date medical evidence, if your condition has improved or worsened.
Background: the Audit Office reported that an independent review by David Scoffield QC in November 2014, commissioned by the Board, recommended that automatic reviews at age 65 should be abandoned and that people whose banding had been reduced in such a review should have it restored.
Proposed changes: what has and has not happened
The Department of Justice consulted from 26 March to 17 July 2024 on changes to the PSNI injury on duty scheme, following the Audit Office report. The consultation paper asked about nine proposals, including:
- clearer definitions of "injury" and "injury on duty";
- removing the link with the pension schemes, with awards based on basic pay rather than pensionable earnings;
- time limits for applications and backdating, with options such as paying from the date of application;
- removing the gratuity;
- ending all awards at State Pension age;
- wider offsetting against benefits, civil claims and future employment, and wider forfeiture and abatement.
The paper proposed that any new regulations would not affect people already receiving an award unless they asked for a reassessment, and would apply to applications made on or after the date they came into operation.
As at 7 October 2026 we found no published government response on the consultation page and no new injury benefit regulations on legislation.gov.uk making these changes. The rules on this page are the ones in force. If you are thinking about applying, or about asking for a reassessment, ask the Police Federation for Northern Ireland or a solicitor whether anything has changed since.
For scale, the Audit Office reported 2,881 PSNI injury awards in payment at 31 March 2019, cash spending of £33.9 million in 2018-19, and liabilities of £488.4 million for future payments. It said post-traumatic stress disorder had become one of the most common injuries claimed.
Key dates for the Northern Ireland scheme
Useful when an award, a review or an old decision is being looked at again.
| Date | What happened | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 25 July 2006 | SR 2006/268 comes into operation (with effect as set out in regulation 1) | legislation.gov.uk commencement notes |
| 2007 to March 2012 | Northern Ireland Office guidance largely replicating Home Office guidance on reviews; withdrawn in March 2012 after a legal challenge held the Home Office guidance unlawful | NIAO report, 2020 |
| November 2014 | Independent review by David Scoffield QC for the Board recommends ending automatic reviews at 65 and restoring bandings reduced in them | NIAO report, 2020 |
| August 2015 | The Board's assessment method for the degree of disablement applies to all assessments | Board FOI 55/2024 |
| September 2016 | Joint Guidance for Medical Practitioners referred to by the Board as the current single guidance document | Board FOI 55/2024 |
| 10 March 2020 | Audit Office report: 2,881 awards in payment at March 2019; reforms proposed | NIAO report |
| 1 April 2021 | SR 2021/43 adapts the injury regulations for 2015 scheme members | legislation.gov.uk |
| 6 November 2023 to 5 January 2024 | Consultation on putting the medical guidance on a statutory footing | Department of Justice |
| 26 March to 17 July 2024 | Consultation on wider changes to the scheme | Department of Justice |
| 2 July 2024 | SR 2024/147 in operation: duty to have regard to the guidance; doctors' qualifications | SR 2024/147 |
Still serving, or already left?
| Still serving | Already left | |
|---|---|---|
| Ill-health retirement | Starts at the PSNI (line manager or OHW); the Board decides retire or retain after the SMP's report | Not available as such; the Board's forms page has an application for early payment of a deferred pension on ill-health grounds |
| Injury award | Only alongside ill-health retirement, or after giving notice to retire or resign (Board guidance) | Apply to the Board at any time on the retrospective forms |
| When payments start | From leaving, if disabled by then | From the date of disablement the SMP identifies, or the date of your claim if that cannot be found |
| Who can help | Police Federation for Northern Ireland; OHW; your GP | NIRPOA; a solicitor; your GP |
| Key date to watch | 28 days from receiving any SMP report and certificate | 28 days from receiving any SMP report and certificate |
Using our calculator for a PSNI case
Our injury award calculator follows the England and Wales rules. For Northern Ireland:
- The same: Schedule 3 percentages, the three-quarters offset, and the 2015 scheme accrual of 1/55.3 (confirmed in SR 2015/113).
- Not modelled: the RUC 1988 and Northern Ireland 2009 schemes (our 1987 and 2006 options follow the England and Wales regulations, which may differ in detail), deductions for work-related benefits, and revaluation of 2015 pension.
- Tax: Northern Ireland uses the same income tax rates as England and Wales, so our after-tax figures apply in principle.
Hypothetical example, not a real case and not a PSNI pay point: pay of £45,000, aged 34, 8 years' service all in the 2015 scheme. Simplified pensions (today's pay, no revaluation). After tax assumes no other income, with the injury pension treated as tax-free.
| Outcome | Ill-health pension a year | Injury pension a year | Total before tax | Total after tax | One-off gratuity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lower tier, slight (band 1) | £6,510 | £8,618 | £15,127 | £15,127 | £5,625 |
| Lower tier, minor (band 2) | £6,510 | £17,618 | £24,127 | £24,127 | £11,250 |
| Upper tier, major (band 3) | £17,089 | £18,684 | £35,772 | £34,868 | £16,875 |
| Upper tier, very severe (band 4) | £17,089 | £25,434 | £42,522 | £41,618 | £22,500 |
Notice how the upper tier raises the pension but shrinks the injury pension, because three-quarters of every extra pound of pension comes off the injury pension. Before tax, only a quarter of the higher pension reaches the total; after tax the gain is smaller still, because the ill-health pension is taxable and the injury pension is not.
Before you apply: what to gather
Based on what the Board's guidance says SMPs and Board staff look at. None of it is a legal requirement in this form, but missing records are a common cause of delay.
- Your service record, sickness record and any injury on duty reports. The PSNI holds these and sends copies to the Board with your permission.
- For each incident: the date, place, what happened and how you were injured, with any reference numbers.
- GP and specialist records, and the treatment you have had and still have planned. Where treatment has not been exhausted, the SMP is asked how likely permanence would be if it were obtained.
- A clear account of the work you can and cannot do now, and your skills and experience. The guidance tells the SMP to consider both when choosing the band.
- Any other conditions you have, including ones that pre-date the injury, so their effect can be separated from the duty injury.
- Your benefit claims and decisions, because work-related benefits are deducted from the injury allowance.
- Details of anyone you want to act for you; the Board will correspond with them.
If you have been treated or assessed by the doctor the Board selects in the last two years, tell the Board. The guidance treats that as a possible conflict of interest.
What people get wrong about PSNI awards
- "The guidance is just advice." Since 2 July 2024 SMPs and IMRs must have regard to it at all times (reg 29(7)). It still cannot change what the regulations say.
- "Appeals go to a board of three doctors." In Northern Ireland a medical appeal is decided by an Independent Medical Referee, with a Principal referee where several specialists are involved.
- "Appeals go to the Crown Court." Non-medical appeals go to a three-person appeal tribunal under regulation 33, then on a point of law to the High Court.
- "The 2024 consultation ended the gratuity and awards at State Pension age." Those were proposals. We found no regulations making those changes.
- "My award will be backdated to when I retired." Not if you became disabled later. Payment runs from the date of disablement the SMP identifies.
- "A reassessment can take the whole award away." The Board's FAQ says a regulation 35 reassessment reviews the band only. Ask the Board how regulation 35(2) applies if you do not also receive a police pension.
- "Being diagnosed means a higher band." The band is set by lost earning capacity, not by the diagnosis.
Who can help in Northern Ireland
Contact details below are as listed in the Board's FAQ; check them on each organisation's own site.
- Police Federation for Northern Ireland, 028 9076 4200, for serving members.
- Northern Ireland Retired Police Officers Association (NIRPOA), 028 9039 3568, for retired officers.
- Northern Ireland Policing Board, Police Pensions and Injury Benefits, 028 9040 8500, for applications, reassessments and decisions.
- PSNI Pensions Branch, 028 9070 0948, for payments and benefit changes.
- A solicitor, particularly before a tribunal appeal or a judicial review.
- If you are struggling, your GP, or Samaritans on 116 123 at any time, free from any phone. If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 999. See our support directory.
If you are serving and unwell, start with your line manager or Occupational Health and Well-being and speak to your Federation representative before anything is sent to the Board. If you have left and are thinking of applying, gather your service and sickness records and medical evidence first. If you already have an SMP report, note the date you received it: you have 28 days to give notice of appeal, and the Board can allow longer if you ask.
Not verified / needs checking
- The current version of the Board's medical guidance. We read the second version released under FOI; we could not confirm whether it has been updated since SR 2024/147.
- The outcome of the 2024 consultation. We found no published response or new regulations, but a response may exist elsewhere.
- Who appoints the IMR. Regulation 30(2) of the injury regulations still names the Secretary of State; SR 2024/147 defines the IMR as appointed by the Department of Justice under that regulation, and the Board's guidance says the Department runs appeals. We did not open the devolution order that transferred the function.
- Time limits for non-medical appeals. Neither regulation 33 of the injury regulations nor regulations 206 and 222 of the 2015 regulations state one that we found.
- The RUC 1988 and 2009 schemes. We did not read their ill-health provisions for this page.
- Tax on the lump sum gratuity. The Board's FAQ calls it tax free; HMRC's manual speaks of injury benefit payments generally. Confirm with PSNI Pensions Branch or HMRC.
- Current figures. The award and cost figures above are from March 2019, published in 2020.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What regulations cover PSNI injury on duty awards?
The Police Service of Northern Ireland and Police Service of Northern Ireland Reserve (Injury Benefit) Regulations 2006 (SR 2006/268). They were amended for 2015 scheme members from 1 April 2021 (SR 2021/43) and again from 2 July 2024 (SR 2024/147).
Who decides a PSNI injury on duty award?
The Northern Ireland Policing Board decides entitlement in the first instance, after a Selected Medical Practitioner answers the medical questions. The Board's guidance says its Resources Committee has delegated this to nominated staff. PSNI Pensions Branch calculates and pays the award.
What changed for PSNI injury awards on 2 July 2024?
SR 2024/147 added a rule that an SMP or Independent Medical Referee must have regard to the Board's Guidance to Medical Practitioners on Injury on Duty Awards at all times. It also defined a duly qualified medical practitioner as one holding at least the Associate of the Faculty of Occupational Medicine (or an equivalent the Board accepts) with current GMC or equivalent registration.
How do I appeal an SMP decision in Northern Ireland?
Give the Board notice of appeal within 28 days of receiving the SMP's report and certificate (the Board can allow longer), then a statement of grounds within a further 28 days. The appeal is decided by an Independent Medical Referee appointed through the Department of Justice, not by a three-doctor board as in England and Wales.
Are PSNI injury award bands the same as in England and Wales?
Yes. Schedule 3 of the Northern Ireland regulations uses the same four degrees of disablement, the same gratuity of 12.5% to 50% of average pensionable pay, the same minimum income guarantee percentages by service, and the same reduction of three-quarters of your police pension.
Can I apply for a PSNI injury award years after leaving?
Under the current regulations, yes. The Board's guidance says former officers, including RUC officers, can apply retrospectively at any time after leaving. If you became disabled after leaving, the award is not backdated to before you became disabled. The Department of Justice consulted in 2024 on introducing time limits, but we found no new regulations.
Can a serving PSNI officer apply for an injury award?
The Board's guidance says a serving officer can apply only if they are being considered for ill-health retirement, or have given notice to retire or resign. The award itself is for someone who has ceased to be a police officer.
Can a PSNI injury award be reduced at a review?
Under regulation 35 the Board considers at suitable intervals whether your degree of disablement has substantially altered. The Board's guidance treats a substantial alteration as a move between bands, up or down. The Board's FAQ says a reassessment reviews the banding only and cannot revoke an award entirely.
Is a PSNI injury award tax-free?
HMRC's manual says payments from police injury benefit schemes can be paid tax-free, while the ill-health pension is taxable. The Board's FAQ describes the injury allowance and lump sum as tax free. Check your own position with PSNI Pensions Branch.
Does the PolicePay injury award calculator work for PSNI officers?
As a guide, mostly. The band percentages, the three-quarters offset and the 2015 scheme accrual rate (1/55.3) are the same. The calculator does not model the RUC 1988 or 2009 schemes, Northern Ireland's medical guidance or DWP deductions, so use PSNI Pensions Branch figures for anything you rely on.
Where do I appeal a decision that is not medical?
Regulation 33 provides an appeal against the Board's refusal of a claim or larger award, a decision on refusing medical treatment, or a forfeiture. A tribunal of three, including a lawyer of at least seven years' standing and a retired officer of at least superintendent rank, hears it, with a further appeal on a point of law to the High Court.
Sources and how we checked them
Every factual claim on this page was written from the sources below, read on 7 October 2026. Rules and figures change, so check the source for the date you are reading this. Where we could not confirm something from an official or independent source, the page says so rather than guessing. Spotted something out of date? See our corrections policy.
- PSNI and PSNI Reserve (Injury Benefit) Regulations 2006, SR 2006/268 (legislation.gov.uk, revised) — regs 5, 6, 6A, 7, 10, 11, 29 to 36; Schedules 1, 3 and 6 (accessed 7 October 2026)
- SR 2024/147: PSNI and PSNI Reserve (Injury Benefit) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2024 — in operation 2 July 2024: reg 29(7) guidance duty; AFOM qualification; IMR and SMP definitions; reg 6A corrections (accessed 7 October 2026)
- Police Pensions Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015, SR 2015/113 — regs 4, 5 (the Board is the police pension authority), 72 to 74, 80, 99, 100, 206, 222; Schedule 1 (IMR appeals) (accessed 7 October 2026)
- Northern Ireland Policing Board: Police Pensions and Injury Benefits FAQ — process, implementation dates, payment, reassessments, ill-health retirement, contacts (accessed 7 October 2026)
- Joint Guidance for Medical Practitioners on Injury on Duty Awards (released under FOI 24/58) — roles; definitions; 'likely to be permanent'; assessment method; timescales; reassessment; appeals. Version date not shown on the copy (accessed 7 October 2026)
- Northern Ireland Policing Board: application forms — Retrospective Injury on Duty Award forms for former RUC or PSNI officers; also reassessment and early payment of a deferred pension on ill-health grounds; forms printed and completed by hand (accessed 7 October 2026)
- Northern Ireland Policing Board FOI 55/2024 (26 July 2024) — the Joint Guidance is the only guidance document used by SMPs and IMRs; assessment method policy from August 2015 (accessed 7 October 2026)
- Department of Justice: consultation on draft amendment for injury on duty medical guidance — 6 November 2023 to 5 January 2024; led to SR 2024/147 (accessed 7 October 2026)
- Department of Justice: consultation on proposed changes to the PSNI Injury on Duty Scheme — 26 March to 17 July 2024; nine proposals including time limits, removing the gratuity and ending awards at State Pension age (accessed 7 October 2026)
- Northern Ireland Audit Office: Injury on duty schemes for officers in the PSNI and the NI Prison Service (10 March 2020) — awards in payment, costs, Scoffield review, proposed reforms (accessed 7 October 2026)
- HMRC Employment Income Manual EIM75900 (injury benefit schemes, including police and firefighters) — injury benefit 'can be paid tax-free'; the ill-health pension is taxable (accessed 7 October 2026)
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Disclaimer
PolicePay.co.uk is an independent reference site. This page is general information, not legal, medical or financial advice, and the outcome of any injury award or ill-health retirement decision turns on the medical evidence and the facts of the individual case. Decisions are made by the police pension authority, selected medical practitioners and appeal boards, and the regulations are amended from time to time. Speak to your Police Federation representative or a solicitor about your own case, and your pension administrator about your figures. If you are struggling, speak to your GP or one of the services listed on our support directory; if you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 999. Details apply to England and Wales unless stated. Details are as checked on 7 October 2026.