Police Pension
And The State Pension
Most officers retire years before their State Pension age. This guide sets out when each income starts, why many forecasts show less than the full State Pension, whether anything changes at State Pension age, and the National Insurance options for the years in between. Written from GOV.UK, the Pensions Acts and the police pension regulations, with the gaps marked.
Independent information, not advice · Sources checked 1 October 2026 · England and Wales unless stated
They are separate and you get both. The police pension starts when you retire (from your late 40s to 60, by scheme and service); the State Pension starts at your State Pension age, 66 now and 67 for anyone born from 6 March 1961, and must be claimed. For most officers the police pension does not reduce at State Pension age; the years between run on the police pension alone.
Two separate pensions, two separate rulebooks
A retired officer usually ends up with two pensions that have nothing to do with each other administratively. The police pension is paid by your force's pension administrator under the Police Pensions Regulations 1987, 2006 or 2015 (often more than one, if you have service in two schemes). The State Pension is paid by the Department for Work and Pensions, from your State Pension age, based on your National Insurance record.
- Start date. The police pension starts when the scheme rules allow, which for officers retiring from service is between 50 and 60. The State Pension cannot start before your State Pension age, which is set by your date of birth and is the same for officers as for everyone else.
- Claiming. GOV.UK says you will not get the new State Pension automatically: you have to claim it. You should get an invitation letter; if you have not had one within 3 months of your State Pension age you can request an invitation code.
- Increases. Police pensions in payment rise each April in line with CPI under the Pensions Increase legislation, but increases on a pension for your own service are not paid before 55 unless you retired on health grounds (see our pension increase guide). The new State Pension rises each year by the highest of earnings growth, CPI or 2.5%.
- No bridging pension. Some pension arrangements pay extra before State Pension age and then step down. We searched the 1987, 2006 and 2015 police regulations and found no bridging pension or level-income option. A police pension is a level amount for life, with its annual increase.
So the planning question for most officers is simple to state: from the day you retire until your State Pension age, the household runs on the police pension (plus any lump sum, savings, a partner's income or new earnings). From State Pension age, the State Pension is added on top.
State Pension age: 66 now, 67 for most officers retiring today
State Pension age is set by Schedule 4 to the Pensions Act 1995, as amended by the Pensions Acts 2007 and 2014. It is 66 for anyone born between 6 October 1954 and 5 April 1960. Section 26 of the Pensions Act 2014 brought the rise to 67 forward: it now happens in monthly steps for people born between 6 April 1960 and 5 March 1961, so the change takes effect between 2026 and 2028. Anyone born between 6 March 1961 and 5 April 1977 has a State Pension age of 67.
| Your date of birth | Your State Pension age under current law | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 6 October 1954 to 5 April 1960 | 66 | Pensions Act 1995, Schedule 4, para 1 (as amended) |
| 6 April 1960 to 5 May 1960 | 66 years and 1 month | Pensions Act 2014 s.26, Table 3 |
| 6 May 1960 to 5 June 1960 | 66 years and 2 months | Table 3 |
| 6 June 1960 to 5 July 1960 | 66 years and 3 months | Table 3 |
| 6 July 1960 to 5 August 1960 | 66 years and 4 months (born 31 July 1960: treated as reached on 30 November 2026) | Table 3 and para 7A |
| 6 August 1960 to 5 September 1960 | 66 years and 5 months | Table 3 |
| 6 September 1960 to 5 October 1960 | 66 years and 6 months | Table 3 |
| 6 October 1960 to 5 November 1960 | 66 years and 7 months | Table 3 |
| 6 November 1960 to 5 December 1960 | 66 years and 8 months | Table 3 |
| 6 December 1960 to 5 January 1961 | 66 years and 9 months (born 31 December 1960: 30 September 2027) | Table 3 and para 7A |
| 6 January 1961 to 5 February 1961 | 66 years and 10 months (born 31 January 1961: 30 November 2027) | Table 3 and para 7A |
| 6 February 1961 to 5 March 1961 | 66 years and 11 months | Table 3 |
| 6 March 1961 to 5 April 1977 | 67 | Pensions Act 1995, Schedule 4 |
| 6 April 1977 to 5 April 1978 | A fixed date between 6 May 2044 and 6 March 2046, depending on birth month | Pensions Act 1995, Schedule 4, Table 4 (Pensions Act 2007) |
| 6 April 1978 or later | 68 | Pensions Act 1995, Schedule 4 |
The Act fixes a few odd cases itself: someone born on 31 July 1960, for example, is treated as reaching 66 years and 4 months at the start of 30 November 2026, because there is no 31 November. The quickest way to get your exact date is the GOV.UK Check your State Pension age tool, which also shows your Pension Credit qualifying age and when you can get free bus travel.
Current law. The Pensions Act 2007 timetable still stands: State Pension age reaches 68 between 2044 and 2046, and is 68 for anyone born on or after 6 April 1978.
2017 and 2023. In 2017 the government accepted a recommendation to bring the rise to 68 forward to 2037 to 2039, subject to a further review, but that was never legislated. Its 2023 review report (30 March 2023) said the current rules for the rise to 68 "remain appropriate" and that it did not intend to change the legislation before the next review.
The third review. The Pensions Act 2014 requires regular reviews. DWP launched the third on 21 July 2025, with an independent report by Dr Suzy Morrissey and a Government Actuary's report on life expectancy. As at 1 October 2026 the GOV.UK collection page (last updated 18 August 2025) lists the terms of reference and a closed call for evidence; we found no published outcome. GOV.UK's own checker warns that results "may change in the future". Any change would need new legislation.
Why this matters for 2015 scheme leavers. If you leave before 55, your 2015 scheme pension becomes payable at your State Pension age (or 65 if higher). Section 10(4) of the Public Service Pensions Act 2013 says that if your State Pension age changes, your deferred pension age changes with it, including for pension already built up. Officers who retire from service are not affected in the same way: their 2015 normal pension age is fixed at 60 by section 10(2).
How long is the gap? It depends on your scheme and how you leave
The gap is the number of years between your police pension starting and your State Pension starting. Police pensions are designed to be payable much earlier than the State Pension, so for officers who retire from service the gap is often long. The table assumes a State Pension age of 67, which applies to anyone born between 6 March 1961 and 5 April 1977; check your own.
| Scheme and route | When the police pension can start | Gap to a State Pension age of 67 | Rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 scheme, retiring from service at normal pension age | 60, unreduced | 7 years | Public Service Pensions Act 2013 s.10(2); 2015 regs |
| 2015 scheme, retiring from service at 55 to 59 | From 55, reduced for early payment from 60 | Up to 12 years | 2015 regs regs 50 and 90 |
| 2015 scheme, left before 55 (deferred) | Your State Pension age (or 65 if higher), or from 55 reduced from that age | None if taken at State Pension age; the two start together | PSPA 2013 s.10(3); 2015 regs reg 91 |
| 2006 scheme, retiring from service | From 55 on notice (ordinary pension) | 12 years if you go at 55 | 2006 regs regs 18 and 27 |
| 2006 scheme, left before 55 (deferred) | 65, or from 55 with an actuarial reduction | About 2 years at 65 | 2006 regs regs 32(4) and 33 |
| 1987 scheme, 30 years' service | At any age once you retire | Often 15 to 20 years for someone who joined young | 1987 regs reg B1 |
| 1987 scheme, 25 to 29 years' service | From 50 | 17 years if paid from 50 | 1987 regs reg B1 |
| 1987 scheme, left with under 25 years before your rank's age limit (deferred) | 60 | 7 years | 1987 regs reg B5(4) |
The longest gaps are for 1987 scheme officers who joined young and retire with 30 years' service. Someone who joined at 19 can retire at 49 with an immediate pension and wait 18 years for the State Pension. Remember too that, for most officers, the annual pension increase on a pension for your own service is not paid until 55; the Home Office 1987 members' guide says that when it becomes payable it takes account of inflation since your retirement (our increase guide explains how).
For 2015 scheme officers who retire from service, the normal pension age of 60 leaves a gap of at least 6 years and, for most people retiring now, 7. Retiring earlier from service, from 55, gives a longer gap and a permanently reduced pension. Our can I retire at 55 guide covers that decision. Many officers have both legacy and 2015 scheme service, and each part follows its own scheme's rules, so the gap may close in stages.
Our free pension calculator estimates your police pension by scheme and shows which parts are payable straight away and which are deferred to State Pension age. It does not calculate the State Pension, so use it alongside your GOV.UK State Pension forecast. Your administrator's figures are the ones that count.
Illustrative example: retiring at 60 with a State Pension age of 67
A 2015 scheme officer born in 1966 retires from service at 60 with a police pension of £24,000 a year after commutation. Their State Pension age is 67, so the gap is 7 years. Assume their forecast shows the full new State Pension. Everything is in 2026/27 money and 2026/27 tax rates for England, Wales and Northern Ireland; increases are ignored.
Before State Pension age. Income £24,000. The first £12,570 is covered by the Personal Allowance and the rest is taxed at 20%: tax about £2,286, leaving about £21,714 a year.
From State Pension age. The full new State Pension adds £241.30 a week, about £12,548 a year. Total income £36,548; tax about £4,796; net about £31,752 a year. The State Pension is paid without tax taken off, so HMRC collects the extra tax through the police pension: the police pension payslip goes down even though nothing about the police pension has changed.
The size of the gap. Over 7 years, the missing State Pension is about £87,833 in today's money. That is the sum the household is without, compared with life after State Pension age, and it is why the lump sum and savings decisions at retirement matter.
Real figures depend on your pension, the tax year, any other income and, in Scotland, Scottish income tax bands. For the tax side in more detail see tax on your police pension in retirement.
Does a police pension reduce at State Pension age?
This is one of the most searched questions about police pensions. For the great majority of officers the answer is no: nothing in the 1987, 2006 or 2015 regulations stops part of the pension or offsets the State Pension against it. There are two older rules that can cause a change, both tied to long service decades ago.
| Situation | What happens to the police pension at State Pension age | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Most officers in any scheme | Nothing. The police pension carries on at the same rate, with its normal April increase. There is no bridging pension that stops and no offset for the State Pension. | 1987, 2006 and 2015 regulations (no bridging provision found) |
| 1987 scheme: service before 1 April 1980 for which reduced contributions were paid | A small flat reduction from State Pension age, in the standard case £1.70 a year for each year of that service, applied to the original pension before increases | 1987 regs Schedule B Part VII; Home Office 1987 members' guide, section 12.3 |
| Guaranteed Minimum Pension (service 6 April 1978 to 5 April 1997) and you reached State Pension age before 6 April 2016 | The State paid part of the increase on the GMP through your State Pension, and the police pension increase on that part was reduced so it was not paid twice | 1987 members' guide, section 12.4.1 |
| Guaranteed Minimum Pension and you reach State Pension age on or after 6 April 2016 | Public service schemes pay full indexation on the GMP themselves (interim arrangement from 2016; HM Treasury made it permanent in March 2021) | HM Treasury GMP indexation consultation response, March 2021 |
The pre-1980 reduction (1987 scheme). Schedule B Part VII of the 1987 regulations is headed "Reduction of Pension at State Pensionable Age". It applies where, for service as a regular policeman (or in the Royal Ulster Constabulary) before 1 April 1980, a person paid pension contributions at a slightly reduced rate. The Home Office 1987 members' guide puts it plainly: if you joined between 1 July 1948 and 31 March 1980, your pension is reduced at State Pension age by £1.70 a year for each year of service before 1 April 1980, applied to the original pension before increases; joiners from 1 April 1980 are not affected. So 10 years of pre-1980 service means a reduction of £17 a year. Anyone affected joined more than 46 years ago.
The Guaranteed Minimum Pension (GMP). The police schemes contracted out of the State Earnings Related Pension Scheme from April 1978 on the basis of a GMP, which applies to service between 6 April 1978 and 5 April 1997. Under the old State Pension, once you reached State Pension age the State paid part of the inflation increase on the GMP through your State Pension, and the police pension increase was reduced by the same amount so you were not paid twice. The total did not fall, but the police pension line could look smaller than expected. For people reaching State Pension age on or after 6 April 2016, HM Treasury's position is that public service schemes pay full indexation on the GMP themselves; it made that the permanent arrangement in March 2021.
The 2006 scheme started in April 2006, after GMPs stopped building up, so a GMP only arises there from earlier contracted-out rights, for example transferred in; regulation 43 deals with it. The 2015 scheme has no GMP of its own. If your police pension changes at State Pension age and you do not know why, ask your administrator for a written explanation.
Why many retired officers' forecasts show less than the full State Pension
Before April 2016 the State Pension had two parts: the basic State Pension and an earnings-related additional State Pension (SERPS, later the State Second Pension). Employers with a qualifying scheme could "contract out" of the additional part. The police schemes did. The Home Office 1987 members' guide says members pay a lower rate of National Insurance and do not receive any State Second Pension for that time, and the explanatory memorandum to the 2015 police consequential regulations says the new scheme, like the existing schemes, would be contracted out until contracting out ended in April 2016.
When the new State Pension started on 6 April 2016, DWP worked out a "starting amount" for everyone with qualifying years before that date: the higher of what you would have got under the old rules and what you would get if the new State Pension had applied throughout your working life. DWP's guide says a deduction for contracting out was applied to both calculations. That is why a long-serving officer can have 35 or more qualifying years and still have a forecast below £241.30 a week.
If you reached State Pension age before 6 April 2016 you are on the old system: the full basic State Pension is £184.90 a week, and GOV.UK says contracted-out time may mean little or no additional State Pension for those years.
Filling gaps in your National Insurance record after you retire
Retiring at 50 or 55 can leave a decade or more in which you are not paying National Insurance. Your police pension does not help: HMRC's National Insurance Manual (NIM02717) says payments from a registered pension scheme are not liable for Class 1 National Insurance, so drawing the pension adds no qualifying years. Your record can still grow in three ways.
- Working. Earnings above the lower earnings limit in a new job count, until you reach State Pension age. DWP's guide gives the 2026/27 figures: you build up a year when earning £129 a week or more from one employer.
- National Insurance credits. GOV.UK lists credits for, among others, people on Universal Credit, Carer's Allowance or certain sickness benefits, people caring for someone for at least 20 hours a week, parents registered for Child Benefit for a child under 12, and Specified Adult Childcare credits for a grandparent or other family member under State Pension age who cares for a child under 12. Check credits before paying anything.
- Voluntary Class 3 contributions. In 2026/27 these cost £18.40 a week, £956.80 for a full year. GOV.UK's eligibility list includes people who are unemployed and not claiming benefits or credits, and people over State Pension age filling gaps. You can only pay for the past 6 years, with a 5 April deadline each year: for 2025/26, the deadline is 5 April 2032. Class 3 for the previous 2 tax years is charged at those years' rates; earlier years at the current rate.
GOV.UK says voluntary contributions "do not always increase your State Pension, for example if you were contracted out". Before paying, check your forecast online or ask the Future Pension Centre (or the Pension Service if you are over State Pension age) whether a particular year would add anything. As arithmetic only: where a full year does add about £6.89 a week, that is about £359 a year, so £956.80 at the 2026/27 rate is matched by about 2.7 years of extra State Pension before tax. Whether it is worth it for you depends on your record, your health and how long you draw it.
Retiring abroad. GOV.UK says that from the 2026/27 tax year you cannot pay voluntary Class 2 contributions for time abroad, and Class 3 for time abroad after 5 April 2026 needs 10 years' continuous UK residence or 10 years of qualifying contributions. Check the GOV.UK rules and the International Pension Centre before you move.
Claiming the State Pension, and putting it off
Claiming. You claim online with the invitation code from DWP's letter, by phone within 4 months of your State Pension age, or by post. GOV.UK says your first payment is no later than 5 weeks after the start date you choose, then every 4 weeks, on a weekday set by the last two digits of your National Insurance number. Claims from Northern Ireland go through nidirect.
Deferring. If you do not claim, your State Pension defers automatically. For people reaching State Pension age on or after 6 April 2016, GOV.UK says:
- You must defer for at least 9 weeks; each 9 weeks adds 1% to your weekly pension for life, just under 5.8% a year.
- At the full rate, deferring 52 weeks adds £13.99 a week. GOV.UK notes it takes over 15 years to get back 52 weeks of deferred full State Pension.
- Instead, you can take up to 52 weeks of deferred pension as a one-off arrears payment (no interest), or a mix of both.
- You cannot build up extra State Pension while you or your partner get certain benefits, including Pension Credit. Extra payments from deferring can be taxed.
Deferring makes most sense, if at all, for someone still working at State Pension age with income they do not need. It is a personal decision; MoneyHelper's free guidance covers the trade-off.
Tax once both pensions are paid
Both pensions are taxable income. The State Pension is paid without tax taken off. GOV.UK says that if you get the State Pension and a workplace pension, your pension provider will usually take off any tax you owe, including tax on your State Pension. In practice HMRC lowers the tax code on your police pension.
The full new State Pension, about £12,548 a year in 2026/27, uses almost all of the £12,570 Personal Allowance, leaving about £22. So once the full State Pension starts, nearly every pound of your police pension is taxed. This is the most common reason retired officers think their police pension has been cut at State Pension age. Our sibling guide tax on your police pension in retirement covers tax codes and checking them.
Pension Credit, briefly
Pension Credit is a means-tested benefit for people over State Pension age on a low income, separate from the State Pension. GOV.UK says it tops up weekly income to £238.00 for a single person or £363.25 for a couple, with more possible for disability, caring or housing costs. Your police pension counts as income, as does any pension you are entitled to but have not claimed. Most retired officers with a full-service pension will be above these levels, but people with short service, a pension shared on divorce or a survivor's pension should check. Pension Credit can open the door to other help such as a Council Tax Reduction.
State Pension compensation: what has actually been decided
"State pension compensation" usually refers to women born in the 1950s affected by earlier rises in State Pension age, often associated with the WASPI campaign. It applies to retired officers and police widows only if they were born in that decade. The facts, from the government's own statement:
- The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman investigated how the changes were communicated and published its final report in March 2024.
- In December 2024 the then Work and Pensions Secretary decided not to pay compensation.
- Research from 2007 about the effectiveness of letters later emerged in legal proceedings, and the government took a new decision.
- On 29 January 2026 the Work and Pensions Secretary told Parliament the government had reached the same conclusion: no compensation scheme. The statement repeated the apology that individual letters were not sent sooner and said work on an action plan with the Ombudsman would resume.
As at 1 October 2026 we found no later decision on GOV.UK, and there is no official scheme to apply to. Treat any message or website offering to process a "WASPI payout" with caution.
Step by step: planning the years between the two pensions
- Get your State Pension age and forecast. Use the GOV.UK forecast service or the HMRC app. Note the date, the forecast amount and any years that are "not full". You cannot use the online forecast once you have reached State Pension age or are deferring.
- Get your police pension figures. Ask your administrator for an estimate at your intended retirement date for each scheme you have service in, the pension with and without commutation, and, if you served between 1 April 2015 and 31 March 2022, a Remediable Service Statement.
- Draw the timeline. Mark when each income starts: each police pension part, the first increase (55, unless on health grounds), your State Pension, and any partner's pensions. The gap is the stretch where only the police pension is in place.
- Budget the gap in today's money. Compare the police pension after tax with what the household spends. Decide how any shortfall is covered: earnings, savings, or the lump sum. Our commutation guide explains the trade-off between cash now and pension for life.
- Look at your National Insurance record. Check credits first, then ask the Future Pension Centre whether voluntary contributions for particular years would add anything. Watch the 6-year deadline.
- Plan for the tax change at State Pension age. Expect your police pension tax code to fall when the State Pension starts, and check the new code.
- Claim on time. The State Pension is not paid automatically. Watch for DWP's invitation letter, and if it has not arrived within 3 months of your State Pension age, request an invitation code.
- Take guidance on the big decisions. MoneyHelper gives free, impartial guidance; Pension Wise is for defined contribution pensions only. For decisions that are large or hard to reverse, such as how much to commute, consider an FCA-authorised financial adviser.
What to ask, and who to ask
| Ask | Who | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Your State Pension age and your forecast, including your National Insurance record | GOV.UK Check your State Pension forecast (or the Future Pension Centre) | Shows the amount, the date, and whether any gaps can be filled |
| Whether paying voluntary contributions for a particular year would increase your State Pension | Future Pension Centre (or the Pension Service if you are over State Pension age) | GOV.UK says voluntary contributions do not always increase it, for example if you were contracted out |
| Whether any part of your police pension changes at State Pension age, and why | Your police pension administrator | Only 1987 pre-1980 service and GMP cases are affected, and the administrator holds the figures |
| The GMP figure on your police pension, if you have service between April 1978 and April 1997 | Your police pension administrator | Explains small differences in how your increase is applied |
| Your current tax code and what income it covers | HMRC (personal tax account or HMRC app) | Once the State Pension starts, tax on it is usually collected through your police pension |
| Whether you are entitled to National Insurance credits (for example as a carer or for a grandchild) | HMRC and GOV.UK credits guidance | Credits can fill gaps free of charge |
| Pension Credit and other help at State Pension age | Pension Service; GOV.UK Pension Credit calculator | Means-tested; your police pension counts as income |
| How to plan income for the years before your State Pension starts | MoneyHelper (free) or an FCA-authorised financial adviser | Large, hard-to-reverse decisions such as commutation affect the whole gap |
Serving officers can also ask their Police Federation or staff association representative about retirement seminars; many branches run them. Retired officers' associations publish general guidance on these topics (see our independent NARPO explainer), but your figures come from DWP and your administrator.
What people get wrong about the police pension and the State Pension
What we could not verify, and how we handled it
- The 1987 regulations in force today. legislation.gov.uk does not hold the 1987 regulations in fully revised form. We read Schedule B Part VII there and cross-checked it with the Home Office 1987 members' guide (2006). Ask your administrator whether it applies to you.
- How GMP indexation is applied to your pension. We read HM Treasury's March 2021 decision but not the Treasury Directions that implement it, and we have not set out how each administrator shows it. Ask for a breakdown.
- The "COPE" figure. Some forecasts and older DWP fact sheets refer to a Contracted Out Pension Equivalent. The GOV.UK fact sheet we looked for now redirects to the contracted-out guide, so we describe the deduction in GOV.UK's current words instead.
- The outcome of the third State Pension age review. Not published as at 1 October 2026, as far as we could find on GOV.UK. We state current law only.
- Later legal action on 1950s women's compensation. We read the government's 29 January 2026 statement. We did not find, and do not report, any later court decision.
- Scottish income tax. The worked example uses England, Wales and Northern Ireland rates. Scottish taxpayers have different bands.
- Northern Ireland and Scotland police schemes. This page covers the police schemes for England and Wales. The State Pension facts apply across the UK, but claims in Northern Ireland go through nidirect.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does my police pension reduce when I get my State Pension?
For most officers, no. The 1987, 2006 and 2015 police schemes have no bridging pension and no State Pension offset. Two old exceptions exist: a small flat reduction for 1987 scheme service before 1 April 1980 where reduced contributions were paid, and adjustments to increases on a Guaranteed Minimum Pension for people who reached State Pension age before 6 April 2016.
Can I get my police pension and State Pension at the same time?
Yes. They are separate. The police pension is paid under the police pension regulations from your retirement; the State Pension is paid by the DWP from your State Pension age once you claim it, based on your National Insurance record. Both are taxable and HMRC usually collects tax on the State Pension through your police pension tax code.
What is the State Pension age for police officers?
The same as for everyone else: it depends only on your date of birth. It is 66 for people born between 6 October 1954 and 5 April 1960, rises in monthly steps for people born between 6 April 1960 and 5 March 1961, and is 67 for people born between 6 March 1961 and 5 April 1977. Under current law it is 68 for people born on or after 6 April 1978.
I retire at 60 in the 2015 scheme but my State Pension age is 67. What fills the gap?
Only your police pension and anything else you have arranged, such as savings, earnings or a lump sum from commutation. There is no extra police payment for those years. Each qualifying year of National Insurance you add before your State Pension age, from work, credits or voluntary contributions, can increase your State Pension up to the full rate.
Why is my State Pension forecast less than the full amount?
Usually because you were contracted out. The police schemes were contracted out of the additional State Pension until April 2016, so you paid National Insurance at a lower rate. DWP made a deduction when working out your starting amount for the new State Pension. Each qualifying year added after 5 April 2016 adds about £6.89 a week until you reach the full rate.
How much is the full State Pension in 2026/27?
The full new State Pension is £241.30 a week, about £12,548 a year, for people who reached State Pension age on or after 6 April 2016. The full basic State Pension, for people who reached it earlier, is £184.90 a week. You need 10 qualifying years to get any new State Pension.
Should I pay voluntary National Insurance after retiring from the police?
That is your decision, and the answer depends on your record. Class 3 costs £18.40 a week in 2026/27 (£956.80 for a full year). GOV.UK says to check your forecast first, because voluntary contributions do not always increase your State Pension, for example if you were contracted out. The Future Pension Centre can tell you whether a payment would help.
Do I pay National Insurance on my police pension?
No. HMRC's National Insurance Manual says payments from a registered pension scheme are not liable for Class 1 National Insurance. The flip side is that drawing a police pension does not add qualifying years to your National Insurance record.
Can I take my State Pension early if I retire from the police early?
No. The State Pension cannot start before your State Pension age, whatever age you retire from the police. You can delay it: if you do not claim, it is deferred automatically and, for people reaching State Pension age since April 2016, increases by 1% for every 9 weeks deferred.
Is the State Pension age going up to 68 sooner?
Current law raises it to 68 between 2044 and 2046. In 2023 the government said those rules remain appropriate pending a further review. A third review was launched on 21 July 2025; as at 1 October 2026 we found no published outcome on GOV.UK. Any change would need new legislation.
Is there state pension compensation for 1950s women?
No scheme exists. The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman reported in March 2024 on how State Pension age changes were communicated. The government decided in December 2024 not to pay compensation and, after taking a new decision, confirmed the same conclusion in a statement to Parliament on 29 January 2026, while apologising that letters were not sent sooner.
If I leave the 2015 scheme early, does my deferred pension move if State Pension age rises?
Yes. A 2015 scheme deferred pension is payable at your State Pension age (or 65 if higher). Section 10(4) of the Public Service Pensions Act 2013 says that if your State Pension age changes, the deferred pension age changes with it, including for benefits already built up.
Sources and how we checked them
Every factual claim on this page was written from the sources below, read on 1 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.
- GOV.UK: The new State Pension (printable guide) — full rate £241.30 a week; 10 years for any, 35 for full; contracted out usually needs more than 35; must be claimed; paid every 4 weeks (accessed 1 October 2026)
- DWP: Your State Pension explained (updated 6 April 2026) — starting amount; deduction for contracting out applied to both calculations; about £6.89 a week per year added after 5 April 2016 (accessed 1 October 2026)
- GOV.UK: Contracted out of the Additional State Pension — contracting out ended 5 April 2016; amount taken off the new State Pension; payslip letters D, E, L, N or O (accessed 1 October 2026)
- Pensions Act 1995, Schedule 4, Part 1 (as amended), latest version — pensionable age by date of birth: 66, 67, the 2044 to 2046 dates and 68 (accessed 1 October 2026)
- Pensions Act 2014, section 26 — rise to 67 for people born from 6 April 1960 (Table 3) and the month-end dates in para 7A (accessed 1 October 2026)
- Public Service Pensions Act 2013, section 10 — police normal pension age 60; deferred pension age is State Pension age or 65; a change in State Pension age applies to accrued benefits (accessed 1 October 2026)
- Police Pensions Regulations 1987 (SI 1987/257), Schedule B Part VII, legislation.gov.uk (not fully revised) — reduction of pension at state pensionable age for pre-1 April 1980 service with reduced contributions (accessed 1 October 2026)
- Home Office: Police Pension Scheme 1987 members' guide (2006) — sections 12.3 and 12.4.1: £1.70 reduction for joiners before April 1980; contracted out; GMP increases after State Pension age (accessed 1 October 2026)
- Police Pensions Regulations 2006 (SI 2006/3415), regulation 43 — guaranteed minimum pension provisions (accessed 1 October 2026)
- HM Treasury: Public service pensions, GMP indexation consultation response (March 2021) — full GMP indexation made the permanent solution for public service schemes (accessed 1 October 2026)
- HM Treasury and Home Office: Explanatory Memorandum to the Police Pensions (Consequential Provisions) Regulations 2015 (SI 2015/370) — existing and new police schemes contracted out until contracting out ended in April 2016 (accessed 1 October 2026)
- GOV.UK: Check your State Pension age — the official checker; results may change because State Pension age is reviewed (accessed 1 October 2026)
- GOV.UK: Check your State Pension forecast — forecast and National Insurance record; BR19 or Future Pension Centre alternatives (accessed 1 October 2026)
- DWP: State Pension age review 2023 (30 March 2023) — rules for the rise to 68 remain appropriate; further review planned (accessed 1 October 2026)
- DWP: Third State Pension age review (collection, launched 21 July 2025) — independent report by Dr Suzy Morrissey and a Government Actuary's report; last updated 18 August 2025 (accessed 1 October 2026)
- GOV.UK: Voluntary National Insurance (printable guide) — Class 3 £18.40 a week in 2026/27; 6-year limit with 5 April deadlines; who can pay; abroad rules from 6 April 2026 (accessed 1 October 2026)
- GOV.UK: National Insurance credits — credits for carers, Universal Credit, grandparents caring for a child and others (accessed 1 October 2026)
- GOV.UK: Defer (delay) your State Pension — 1% for every 9 weeks; up to 52 weeks as a one-off arrears payment; examples at the full rate (accessed 1 October 2026)
- GOV.UK: Pension Credit — tops up weekly income to £238 single or £363.25 for a couple; other pensions count as income (accessed 1 October 2026)
- GOV.UK: Tax when you get a pension — pension provider usually takes off tax owed on the State Pension too (accessed 1 October 2026)
- HMRC National Insurance Manual NIM02717 — payments from a registered pension scheme are not liable for Class 1 NICs (accessed 1 October 2026)
- GOV.UK: Income Tax rates and Personal Allowances — 2026/27 Personal Allowance £12,570 and basic rate 20% (accessed 1 October 2026)
- GOV.UK oral statement: Government response to the PHSO investigation into women's State Pension age communications (29 January 2026) — new decision; same conclusion on compensation; apology for the delay in letters (accessed 1 October 2026)
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Disclaimer
PolicePay.co.uk is an independent reference site. It is not authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority and this page is general information, not financial, tax or pension advice, and it cannot consider your personal circumstances. Pension and tax rules change and depend on your scheme, service and tax position: check your pension administrator's statement and, where sums are large or decisions hard to reverse, speak to an FCA-authorised adviser, Pension Wise (free guidance for defined contribution pensions only) or HMRC. Details apply to England and Wales unless stated. Details are as checked on 1 October 2026.