What Happens to Your
Police Pension If Dismissed?
Understand pension forfeiture rules, barred list impact and what happens to accrued benefits after gross misconduct dismissal.
Executive Summary
Dismissal does not automatically remove your pension.
Even if dismissed for gross misconduct, accrued pension rights normally remain protected. Forfeiture is possible — but rare and strictly regulated.
1. The Core Principle: Pension Is Earned Property
Police pensions are governed by statutory regulations. They are not discretionary benefits.
Accrued service under all schemes is normally preserved, even if employment ends through dismissal.
2. What Does Dismissal Actually Change?
What You Lose
- Employment immediately
- Future pension accrual
- Future increments
- Clean disciplinary record
What remains protected
- Accrued pension entitlement
- Deferred pension rights
- Past contributions
*Unless forfeiture conditions are triggered.
3. When Can a Police Pension Be Forfeited?
Forfeiture is governed by Police Pension Regulations. It is not automatic.
The 3 Mandatory Conditions
Gross misconduct ≠ Automatic forfeiture.
4. Partial vs Full Forfeiture
In rare cases where forfeiture is approved, it may be a partial reduction (up to 65% in some cases) or rarely full forfeiture. In practice, full forfeiture is extremely rare.
5. What About Barred List Placement?
Being placed on the College of Policing Barred List prevents future employment in policing, but does NOT automatically affect pension rights.
Pension Forfeiture Risk Explainer
Select your circumstances to understand general forfeiture risk.
Forfeiture requires a criminal conviction. Without one, pension rights are generally preserved.
*Educational guidance only. Not legal advice. Actual outcomes depend on specific case details.
6. Deferred Pension Rights
If dismissed before pension age, your pension becomes deferred. This means it is paid at the scheme's normal pension age (e.g. 60 for 2015 scheme) and remains inflation-linked.
7. What If You Resign Before Dismissal?
- Stops employment immediately
- Does not erase pension accrual
- Does not automatically prevent barred list review
8. Criminal Convictions & Risk
highest risk scenarios involve serious dishonesty, corruption, misuse of position, or criminal acts directly connected to service. Even then, forfeiture requires formal certification.
1987 Scheme
Final salary. Forfeiture rules similar but older regulatory basis.
2006 Scheme
Final salary but different accrual rates.
2015 CARE
Career Average. Deferred rights based on revalued pension pot.
10. Timeline Example
Officer (18 years service) dismissed for gross misconduct. No criminal conviction.
Outcome: Deferred pension preserved. No forfeiture.
Officer convicted of corruption linked to service. Certification issued.
Outcome: Possible partial or full forfeiture.
Common Questions
Can police lose their pension for gross misconduct?
No. Gross misconduct alone does not remove pension. Forfeiture requires criminal conviction and formal certification.
Is pension automatically lost if dismissed?
No. Accrued pension rights are normally preserved.
Does being on the barred list affect pension?
No. Barred list placement does not automatically remove pension rights.
Can part of a police pension be taken away?
Yes, in rare cases following criminal conviction connected to service and formal forfeiture certification.
If I resign before dismissal, is my pension safer?
Resignation does not materially change forfeiture risk if criminal conviction occurs.
"Most officers dismissed for misconduct retain accrued pension. The law protects earned pension rights."