Pension on Divorce
Experts and Police
If a police pension is part of your divorce, you will probably be told to get a pension on divorce expert (PODE). This guide explains what a PODE is, why police pensions usually need one, what the published prices are, what a good report covers, how long it takes and what the expert will need from the police scheme. It is written for officers and for their partners.
Independent information, not advice · Sources checked 19 October 2026 · England and Wales unless stated
Usually yes, if the pension is being shared or offset. The Pension Advisory Group's guide (PAG2) says uniformed service pensions such as the police "will require PODE input", because splitting the cash equivalent equally can give very unexpected results. PODEs are not regulated as such. Published prices read on 19 October 2026 run from £1,200 including VAT to £2,520 including VAT for a standard joint report, usually split equally, and more for complex cases. Allow weeks to months, mostly waiting for the scheme's figures.
What a pension on divorce expert is
A pension on divorce expert, usually shortened to PODE, is someone who analyses the pensions in a divorce and reports on how they could be divided: by a pension sharing order, by offsetting against other assets, or both. In a police divorce the police pension is often the largest asset, so the PODE's report can shape the whole settlement.
The most detailed guidance on PODEs is the Pension Advisory Group's A Guide to the Treatment of Pensions on Divorce, second edition (PAG2), funded by the Nuffield Foundation and published in December 2023. Its Appendix C is plain about the position: "There is currently no professional qualification or regulatory system for PODEs." PAG2 lists who does the work:
- Actuaries regulated by the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries (IFoA).
- Actuaries who are not IFoA members, and so outside its regulation. PAG2 notes that "actuary" is not a reserved title.
- Independent financial advisers regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
- Financial planners and former advisers who are not regulated by the FCA.
- Others who hold themselves out as having the expertise, some of them members of expert witness bodies that have codes of practice but are not professional regulators.
When a PODE's report goes to court, the Family Procedure Rules 2010 Part 25 apply. Rule 25.3 says an expert's duty is to help the court, and that this duty "overrides any obligation" to whoever instructs or pays them. Practice Direction 25D sets out how single joint experts are used in financial cases and what the letter of instruction should cover.
PAG2 also suggests that, early on, it may be worth bringing in a suitably qualified independent financial adviser or a shadow expert to help you work out what you are trying to achieve, whether a report is needed and, if so, what questions to ask. That is a choice, not a requirement, and it adds cost.
The police pension administrator produces the cash equivalent transfer value (CETV) that the law uses as the starting value. A PODE does not replace that figure: they take it, with the scheme's information, and work out what different sharing percentages would actually mean for each of you. How the CETV itself is calculated is covered in our police pension divorce settlement guide.
When a police pension usually needs one
For most pensions the answer depends on value and complexity. For police pensions the guidance is unusually direct.
- PAG2, Part 6, Case 2 (uniformed service schemes). "Whatever their ages, where one of the parties has a pension with a uniformed service public sector scheme (such as the Armed Forces or the Police), equal division of CE can lead to very unexpected outcomes and such cases will require PODE input."
- PAG2 on complicating features. Even where a report might otherwise not be needed, PAG2 lists a uniformed service scheme among the features that may make PODE input necessary, alongside a significant age gap, a serious medical condition and public sector pensions where offsetting is being considered.
- Advicenow (updated September 2026). For police, fire service or armed forces pensions you will "probably need an expert to help you work out how it should be shared, whatever its value."
- Value thresholds for other pensions. Advicenow says that for a defined benefit pension an expert report is likely to be needed between £100,000 and £200,000, and "If it is over £200k you will need an expert report." PAG2 says that where combined pension CEs are below £100,000 a report "will rarely be justified", but its uniformed service case applies whatever the ages.
| Situation | Is a PODE likely to be needed? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| A police pension is to be shared by a pension sharing order | Usually yes | PAG2 Case 2; equal CE can give unexpected income outcomes |
| A police pension is to be offset against the house or savings | Usually yes | The CETV is not a market price; PAG2 flags offsetting with public sector pensions |
| Both of you are police officers | Often | Two police pensions with different schemes, ages and payment dates; see our guide for police couples |
| The officer has already retired, or retired on ill-health grounds | Often | Pensioner and ill-health valuations work differently; see the after-retirement and ill-health guides |
| The police pension is small and both of you agree to keep your own pensions | Possibly not | PAG2 Case 4: combined CEs under £100,000 rarely justify a report; take legal advice before waiving one |
For the police couple and retired officer cases, see when both of you are police officers, divorce after police retirement and ill-health pension and divorce.
Why the CETV alone can mislead on a police pension
In England and Wales a pension sharing order gives the former partner a percentage of the whole CETV (Welfare Reform and Pensions Act 1999, section 29). The percentage that is fair in money terms is often not the one that looks fair on paper, for reasons particular to police schemes. PAG2's Appendix I lists several. In summary:
| Police-specific feature | What happens | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Different payment ages | The officer may draw a pension from 50 (or earlier with 30 years) in the 1987 scheme, or from 55 in the 2006 and 2015 schemes (2015 reduced before 60), while the former partner's pension credit is paid at 60 (1987 scheme), 65 (2006) or State Pension age (2015, with a reduced pension possible from 55). PAG2 discusses the resulting income gap | Police pension regulations; PAG2 I.24 |
| The debit can grow if the officer serves on | In the 1987 scheme, where an officer could already retire, the CE assumes immediate payment, so the debit grows if they keep serving. PAG2's own illustration: a 50% share of a £20,000 pension creates a £10,000 debit that "could be as high as £20,000 per annum" by retirement | PAG2 I.15 to I.18; GAD 1987 guidance |
| Valuing just before 25 years | A 1987 CE taken just before 25 years' service is described by PAG2 as "an undervalue", because the deferred pension age changes at 25 years | PAG2 I.9 |
| Mixed 1987 and 2015 benefits | PAG2 says the value of 1987 benefits can reduce as an officer works past 30 years because of how debits are treated | PAG2 I.11 to I.12 |
| The credit cannot leave the scheme | The former partner's credit stays in the police scheme: it cannot be transferred out, and no survivor's pension is paid on it | 1987 reg F10A; 2006 reg 79; 2015 reg 180(3); SPPA leaflet |
| The discount rate | Public service CEs use a Treasury-set rate. PAG2 says public sector benefits are "likely to be higher for a given CE" than private sector ones. The rate rose from CPI + 1.7% to CPI + 2.0% on 19 May 2026, lowering CETVs | PAG2 I.32 to I.33; GAD, June 2026 |
| McCloud remedy service | For valuations on or after 1 October 2023, remedy service is valued at the greater of the legacy and reformed values | SI 2023/831 reg 24 |
| A credit member in poor health | There is one set of credit tables with no allowance for impaired health, so a former partner in poor health may get less value | PAG2 I.35 |
Police CETVs after 19 May 2026 use new factors that give lower values. If your figures, or a PODE report, are based on a CETV issued before then, ask your solicitor whether a fresh valuation is needed. Our guide on why police pension quotes were suspended explains the change.
In Scotland the rules are different: only the share of the pension built up between the marriage and the relevant date counts, worked out by the formula in the Divorce etc. (Pensions) (Scotland) Regulations 2000, and the order states a cash sum rather than a percentage. See our police divorce in Scotland guide.
What a PODE report on a police pension should cover
What the report covers depends on what the expert is asked. PAG2's Appendix E has a template letter of instruction, and its notes warn that every extra question adds cost and time. For a police pension, the usual questions are:
| What the report can be asked to do | What it means | Why it matters for a police pension |
|---|---|---|
| Equality of income | The pension sharing percentage that gives each of you the same pension income from an agreed age | PAG2 says that in needs cases with significant defined benefit pensions, an equalisation of incomes approach will often be the right analysis. A police pension is a defined benefit pension |
| Equality of capital | The percentage that splits the capital value (the CETV) equally | Simple to calculate, but PAG2 warns that equal division of CE in uniformed service schemes "can lead to very unexpected outcomes" |
| Scenarios at different retirement ages | Calculations at one or two agreed ages, for example the officer's earliest unreduced age and the former partner's credit payment age | The officer may be able to draw a pension years before the former partner's credit is paid at 60, 65 or State Pension age, depending on the scheme. PAG2 cautions that each extra age adds cost |
| McCloud remedy service | How the report treats service from 1 April 2015 to 31 March 2022 | For new divorce valuations, the scheme must use the greater of the legacy and reformed values for remedy service (SI 2023/831 reg 24). See our McCloud and divorce guide |
| Pre-marital and post-separation accrual | Separate figures that leave out pension built up before the marriage or after separation | PAG2 says that in needs cases these calculations should rarely be requested; they may be justified where assets exceed needs. In Scotland the law itself counts only the marriage-to-relevant-date share |
| Offsetting value | What capital might be traded for not sharing the pension, on one or more bases | A police pension's CETV is not a market price. PAG2 suggests the expert may give a range (for example realisable, replacement or net actuarial value). See our offsetting guide |
| Tax and State Pension | Whether tax or State Pension differences change the answer | PAG2's template letter asks the expert to consider tax, and to state whether State Pension is included |
Which ages? PAG2 (note E.7) says the choice of the age at which incomes are equalised is mainly for the parties, and depends on things like each scheme's normal pension age, State Pension age, the age gap between you, the income gap and your work plans. It suggests asking for two, or exceptionally more, ages if you cannot agree, and warns firmly against asking for too many. For a police pension that often means one age when the officer's pension starts and one when the former partner's credit starts.
Pre-marital and post-separation pension. PAG2 (note E.3) says that in a needs case a court is unlikely to be helped by calculations excluding pension built up before the marriage or after separation, and they "should rarely appear" in instructions. Where assets exceed needs there may be a case for them; the simplest method is a straight-line apportionment by time, but PAG2 says that can be unfair in some cases.
McCloud. If any service falls between 1 April 2015 and 31 March 2022, the report should say how it has treated remedy service and which values the scheme used. See McCloud remedy and divorce.
Offsetting. If you are thinking of keeping the pension intact and giving the former partner more of the house or savings, PAG2 suggests the expert may give a range of offset values. Our offsetting vs sharing calculator and guide sets out the trade-offs.
PAG2 recommends that every PODE self-certifies, with a statement of truth, that they have the core competencies listed in its Appendix D. One of those is the ability to analyse the effect of continuing service on retirement and early retirement, which PAG2 says is "particularly important in the uniformed services". Ask for this statement before you instruct.
Published PODE prices (checked 19 October 2026)
Most PODEs do not publish prices. The table lists every published price or price guide we could read on 19 October 2026, as shown on each page. Naming a provider here is not a recommendation: we do not recommend any PODE, and none has paid to appear. Prices change, so check the page before relying on it.
| Provider or guide | Published price (as shown on the page) | Turnaround (as published) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Pensions Experts | Baseline single PODE report £2,100 + VAT (£2,520), which the page says is £1,260 for each party | Not stated | Paid in three stages (20%, 30%, 50%). The page says the price can rise with a very large number of pensions, extra calculation ages or specific calculation requirements |
| Pensions on Divorce (pensionsondivorce.com) | Fixed fee £1,200 including VAT | Within 2 weeks of receiving information from the pension provider | Lists defined benefit and final salary schemes; the page does not name public sector or police schemes, so confirm before instructing |
| Smith & Pinching (leaflet dated March 2023) | Initial evaluation and letter £200 to £250 + VAT; full report £1,000 to £2,000 + VAT, depending on complexity | Not stated | The leaflet is from 2023, so prices may have changed |
| Shackleton Advisers | No price published; says its initial assessment of whether you need PODE input is free | Aims for 10 working days from receipt of all required information | Offers a full Part 25 report for court and a shorter report for negotiation or mediation |
| Advicenow guide (charity, updated September 2026) | Full report generally £1,750 to £3,000, plus VAT if the expert is VAT registered (£2,100 to £3,600); hourly advice £250 to £350 + VAT; higher for larger or more complex pensions | Around four weeks once the expert has everything; around six months overall | A guide, not a provider |
| Lowry Legal article | Simple £1,500 to £3,000; defined benefit or several pensions £3,000 to £6,000; complex (high value, multiple schemes or public sector) £6,000 to £15,000+ | Typically 6 to 20 weeks | A law firm's guide, not a provider. VAT not mentioned |
| Smart Divorce blog | An actuarial report "generally costs in the region of £1,500 to £2,000" | Not stated | A financial planner's article, not a price list |
Putting the published figures on the same footing (including VAT at 20% where the page quotes a price plus VAT):
- Lowest published fixed fee: £1,200 including VAT.
- The Pensions Experts' baseline: £2,100 + £420 VAT = £2,520, or £1,260 each when split.
- Advicenow's range: £1,750 to £3,000 plus VAT = £2,100 to £3,600.
- Complex or public sector cases, according to one law firm's guide: £6,000 to £15,000 or more.
Why the spread? Police cases can involve two or three scheme sections, McCloud remedy service, pensioner or ill-health valuations, or two police pensions. Ask each PODE for a written fixed fee or estimate based on your actual pensions and questions, and what would make it go up.
Joint instruction, court permission and splitting the cost
Advicenow says it is usual to agree one expert with your former partner and share the cost equally. PAG2's template letter of instruction says each party is responsible for 50% of the charges, unless agreed or ordered otherwise, and asks the expert not to start until both of you have accepted the fee estimate.
- Before court proceedings. You can agree between you (with or without solicitors) to instruct a PODE. Some PODEs offer a shorter report for negotiation or mediation.
- Once financial proceedings have started. FPR rule 25.4 says no one may put expert evidence before the court without permission, and permission is given only if the court thinks the evidence "is necessary". The court can direct a single joint expert (rule 25.11). PAG2 says the person instructing should put the expert's qualifications, experience and self-certification before the court before permission is granted.
- Impartiality. A joint expert should not correspond or talk with one of you without copying the other in. If you want someone on your side, that is a shadow PODE, paid for by you.
- If your former partner will not engage. Your solicitor can ask the court for directions. Courts decide on the facts; we cannot say what any court would order.
Using the published figures above, not a quote from any provider:
- The Pensions Experts' baseline: £2,520 ÷ 2 = £1,260 each.
- Advicenow's top figure: £3,000 + 20% VAT = £3,600; ÷ 2 = £1,800 each.
- Advicenow's lowest figure: £1,750 + 20% VAT = £2,100; ÷ 2 = £1,050 each.
Add any shadow PODE or solicitor time for drafting the letter of instruction on top.
How long a PODE report takes
The expert cannot start properly until the police scheme has produced its figures, so the scheme's timetable usually drives the wait.
| Stage | Typical time | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Request the divorce CETV from the police scheme | 6 weeks if you tell the scheme on the day you ask that it is for divorce proceedings; otherwise up to 3 months | Pensions on Divorce etc. (Provision of Information) Regulations 2000, reg 2 |
| Form P answers and any extra scheme information | Varies; PAG2 strongly recommends having Form P before asking for a report | PAG2 Appendix E, note E.1 |
| Agree the expert and the letter of instruction (and get court permission if proceedings have started) | Weeks, depending on how quickly you and your former partner agree | FPR rule 25.4; PAG2 paragraphs 2.10 and 2.11 |
| The expert writes the report | Published figures range from about 2 weeks to 20 weeks after the information arrives | Provider pages and guides in the price table |
| Overall, from start to report | Advicenow says it could take around six months | Advicenow, September 2026 |
- Tell the scheme it is for divorce. The 6-week limit applies only if the member tells the scheme on the day of the request that the valuation is needed for divorce proceedings. A court can also set a shorter period.
- 2026 delays. After the SCAPE change on 19 May 2026, GAD says some calculations were suspended until new factors were issued; new CETV factors followed within 11 working days. McCloud cases have also needed their own GAD guidance. Build in time.
- Court timetables. If there is a court timetable, PAG2's template asks the expert to say at once if they cannot meet it.
Our police divorce checklist and timeline places the PODE step in the wider order of events.
What a PODE needs from the police scheme and from you
PAG2 strongly recommends having Form P (the court's pension inquiry form) before asking for a report, and its template letter encloses the Form E pension section, Form P responses, State Pension forecasts and letters of authority. For a police pension, gather:
| What the PODE needs | Where it comes from | Why |
|---|---|---|
| The divorce CETV for each part of the police pension (1987, 2006, 2015 and any remedy service) | Police pension administrator | The starting value. One divorce CETV in any 12 months is free for active and deferred members |
| Form P (pension inquiry form) answers | Police pension administrator | Scheme rules on sharing, the credit and charges, in the court's standard format |
| Date of birth, date joined, breaks, part-time history and transfers in | Officer and administrator | Service drives the pension and, in the 1987 scheme, when it can be paid |
| Current pensionable pay and rank | Payslips; administrator | Final salary parts depend on pay at retirement |
| Whether any service is McCloud remedy service, and how the CETV treats it | Administrator | Remedy service is valued at the greater of legacy and reformed values for new divorce valuations |
| Whether the officer is serving, deferred, retired or retired on ill-health grounds | Administrator | Pensioner and ill-health valuations use different bases |
| Any lump sum already taken | Administrator | Affects what is left to share and whether the credit member can take a lump sum |
| The scheme's schedule of charges | Administrator | Implementation fees run into thousands of pounds |
| Both parties' other pensions and State Pension forecasts | Each party; GOV.UK forecast | PAG2's template letter lists State Pension forecasts as standard enclosures |
| Signed letters of authority from both of you | Both parties | Advicenow says the expert needs authority to get information directly from providers |
| The letter of instruction: the questions, the ages and the assumptions | Solicitors, or both of you if unrepresented | PAG2 Appendix E has a template; unnecessary questions add cost |
Our guide to Form E for police officers covers the pension pages of Form E and how to request Form P. If you are the partner and the officer holds the pension, your solicitor can ask for it through disclosure; see divorcing a police officer.
The whole cost picture: PODE, scheme charges and court fees
The PODE fee is only one of the costs of sharing a police pension. The scheme's charge for implementing the order is often larger.
| Cost | Published figure | Who usually pays | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Divorce CETV from the police scheme | Free once in 12 months (active and deferred); the Met schedule (2023 version) charges £340 for a second one | The member | Charging Regulations 2000 reg 3; Met schedule v30 |
| PODE report | About £1,200 to £3,600 including VAT on the published figures above; complex cases higher | Usually split equally on a joint instruction | Price table; Advicenow; PAG2 Appendix E |
| Pension sharing implementation fee | £4,070 (Met, active or deferred, 2023 schedule); £4,320 (SPPA standard, from 1 April 2026) | Advicenow says usually divided equally between you | Met schedule v30; SPPA leaflet section 12 |
| Divorce application court fee | £628 | The applicant (or shared by agreement) | GOV.UK |
| Consent order court fee | £62 | By agreement | GOV.UK |
| Contested financial order (Form A) | £321 | The applicant | GOV.UK |
| Solicitors' fees | Not published in a comparable way; ask each firm for an estimate | Each party | SRA Code para 8.7 requires the best possible information on likely overall cost |
Assumptions, not a prediction: a jointly instructed PODE at Advicenow's top figure, a Met Police implementation fee on the 2023 schedule, both split equally, England and Wales, settled by consent.
- PODE: £3,600 ÷ 2 = £1,800
- Implementation fee: £4,070 ÷ 2 = £2,035
- Total each, before solicitors and court fees: £1,800 + £2,035 = £3,835
- Court fees on top: £628 for the divorce application and £62 for the consent order (£321 instead if you need to apply on Form A).
The Met schedule is uprated each April and we could not confirm its 2026 figures. Other administrators charge differently: ask yours for its schedule early.
For solicitors' fees and fixed-fee divorce packages, see police divorce solicitors and Police Federation family law offers by branch.
A cheaper first step: our calculator and report (and what they are not)
Before paying for a PODE, it helps to know roughly what is at stake. That is what our tools are for. To be clear about what they are:
The Police Divorce Pack (£59.99) includes the report, the Police Separation Money Plan and the Pension Command Centre. Other low-cost first steps: MoneyHelper's free pensions and divorce appointment (by phone, usually up to 60 minutes, explains options without recommending one), and the short initial assessments some PODEs publish in the price table.
Questions to ask a PODE before you instruct
Advicenow suggests asking any expert whether they specialise in pensions on divorce, how often they prepare court reports, whether they will self-certify their expertise, what the fee is, how long it will take, whether they have professional indemnity insurance and whether they belong to a professional body. For a police pension, add:
- How many police pension reports have you done, and on which schemes? The 1987, 2006 and 2015 schemes each share differently.
- How will you deal with McCloud remedy service? Listen for the greater-of rule for new divorce valuations.
- How will you handle the officer's retirement timing? PAG2's Appendix I traps, such as the debit growing in the 1987 scheme, should be familiar.
- Which ages do you suggest for equalising income, and what does each extra age cost?
- Will you value offsetting, and on which bases?
- Does the CETV need refreshing? Especially if it was issued before 19 May 2026.
- Is your fee fixed, and what would change it? Get it in writing before anyone signs the letter of instruction.
- Will you sign PAG2's Appendix D self-certification and a statement of truth?
- Do you have a complaints procedure and a peer review policy? PAG2 recommends both.
- For Scotland: are you familiar with the relevant date apportionment?
Step by step: getting a PODE report on a police pension
- Get the numbers moving. Ask the police scheme for a divorce CETV, saying it is for divorce proceedings so the 6-week limit applies. Ask for Form P answers and the charges schedule at the same time.
- Get a rough picture. Use our police pension divorce calculator to see the scale of the pension and what different shares do.
- Decide whether you need a report. With your solicitor, using PAG2's guidance. For police pensions the answer is usually yes.
- Agree an expert with your former partner. Compare written fees, experience with police schemes and self-certification.
- Agree the questions. Use PAG2's Appendix E template: income equality, capital equality if wanted, one or two ages, McCloud, offsetting if relevant.
- Get permission if needed. In proceedings, the court must give permission under FPR rule 25.4.
- Sign letters of authority and pay the first stage. Many PODEs take payment in stages.
- Read the report with your solicitor. Written questions to a joint expert go through the agreed process and are copied to both sides.
- Use it to negotiate or for the hearing. The order's wording, and who pays the implementation fee, comes next.
Reading the report: for the officer and for the partner
A joint report is written for both of you, but each of you will read it with different questions. These are the points in a police pension report that most often matter to each side.
- The debit is fixed on pension built up to the day the order takes effect, then rises with CPI and is adjusted for when you actually retire. Check the report shows your pension after the debit at the age you expect to go.
- The debit reduces your lump sum too: directly in the 2006 scheme, and through commutation of the reduced pension in the 1987 and 2015 schemes.
- Your death grant and children's pensions are not reduced by the debit.
- You cannot buy back the shared pension as such; in the 2015 scheme you may be able to buy added pension within the normal limits.
- Your pension credit is paid from 60 (1987 scheme), 65 (2006) or State Pension age (2015, with a reduced pension possible from 55). Check the report uses the right age for each part.
- The credit stays in the police scheme, cannot be transferred out, rises with CPI before payment and is paid for life.
- No survivor's pension is paid on a credit, and your remarriage does not affect it.
- After the divorce, GAD's guidance says no spouse's survivor pension is paid to the former partner from the officer's scheme. See our death in service and divorce guide.
If something in the report does not match your understanding of the scheme, raise it through your solicitor with written questions to the expert, copied to the other side. For the partner's view of the whole process, read divorcing a police officer: what you are entitled to.
After the report: from figures to a pension sharing order
The report helps you agree a percentage, or helps the court decide one. Several legal steps follow before the pension is actually shared:
| Step | Rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| The order and the pension sharing annex | In England and Wales the percentage goes in the financial order, with the pension sharing annex (Form P1) | MCA 1973 s.24B; GOV.UK Form P1 |
| Final order first | A pension sharing order does not take effect until the divorce is made final. PAG2 warns against applying for the final order before the financial order is sealed, because survivor rights can be lost | MCA 1973 s.24B(2); PAG2 |
| Not before the appeal window closes | A pension sharing order cannot take effect earlier than 7 days after the end of the period for filing notice of appeal | Divorce etc. (Pensions) Regulations 2000 reg 9 |
| Four months to implement | The scheme has 4 months from the later of the order taking effect and receiving the documents and information it needs | WRPA 1999 s.34 |
| Charges paid first | Unpaid charges can postpone the start of the implementation period; SPPA says it will not start until its charge is paid | Charging Regulations 2000 reg 7; SPPA leaflet |
| Scotland: a two-month deadline | For Scottish orders and agreements, the scheme must receive the documents within 2 months of the relevant date, or the order is treated as never having taken effect (the court can extend this) | WRPA 1999 s.28(7) to (10) |
The values used in the report and the values on the day the scheme implements the order will differ, because pensions move with time and factors change. PAG2 calls this "moving target syndrome". Ask your solicitor how the order's wording deals with it.
Myths about PODEs and police pensions
What we could not verify
- PODE prices not published online. Most PODEs quote privately. The table shows only published figures; we did not contact anyone or ask for quotes.
- Whether each provider takes police scheme cases. Some pages list defined benefit schemes without naming public sector or police schemes.
- The Met's 2026 charges. The schedule we read is the 2023 version, uprated each April by CPI.
- How often courts refuse permission for a PODE in police cases. We found no published figures.
- MoneyHelper's appointment page. It blocked automated reading; details are from MoneyHelper's blog and listings.
- The Pensions Experts' final-stage figure. One line on its fees page appears to conflict with its own table; we quote the table.
Free: the police divorce checklist (PDF)
The documents to gather, the pension steps from CETV to pension sharing order, and the questions to ask a solicitor, written for police officers and their partners. Enter your email to download it. We will also send occasional police divorce and pension updates; unsubscribe any time.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is a pension on divorce expert (PODE)?
A PODE is a specialist who analyses pensions for a divorce and reports on how they could be shared or offset. PAG2, the Pension Advisory Group's guide, says there is no professional qualification or regulatory system for PODEs. They include actuaries (some regulated by the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries, some not), FCA-regulated independent financial advisers and unregulated planners.
Does a police pension need a pension on divorce expert?
Usually, if it is being shared or offset. PAG2 says that where one party has a uniformed service public sector pension such as the police, equal division of the cash equivalent can lead to very unexpected outcomes and such cases will require PODE input. Advicenow says a police pension will probably need an expert whatever its value.
How much does a PODE report cost?
Published prices read on 19 October 2026 run from £1,200 including VAT to £2,100 + VAT (£2,520) for a standard single report, and Advicenow quotes £1,750 to £3,000 plus VAT for a full report. One law firm's guide puts complex or public sector cases at £6,000 to £15,000 or more. On a joint instruction the fee is usually split equally.
Who pays for the PODE report?
Where you and your former partner jointly instruct one expert, the usual arrangement is to split the fee equally, and PAG2's template letter of instruction says each party is responsible for 50%. A different split can be agreed or ordered. If one of you also wants a shadow PODE to advise you privately, that person pays for it.
How long does a PODE report take?
Most of the wait is for the scheme's information. A divorce CETV must be provided within 6 weeks if you tell the police scheme it is for divorce proceedings, or 3 months otherwise. Published report turnarounds range from about 2 weeks to 20 weeks after the expert has everything, and Advicenow says the whole process could take around six months.
Do I need court permission to use a PODE?
If financial proceedings have started, yes: Family Procedure Rules rule 25.4 says no one may put expert evidence before the court without permission, and permission is given only where the court thinks it necessary. Practice Direction 25D sets out the process for single joint experts in financial cases. Before proceedings, you can agree to instruct one between you.
Can we use one expert for both of us?
Yes, that is the usual approach. A single joint expert writes one report for both of you, must stay impartial and should copy any contact with one side to the other. The court can direct that evidence on an issue comes from a single joint expert (FPR rule 25.11), and the expert's duty to the court overrides any duty to the people paying.
What should a PODE report on a police pension cover?
Usually the sharing percentage for equal income at one or two agreed ages, and often for equal capital too; how McCloud remedy service is treated; offsetting values if offsetting is on the table; and any tax or State Pension points. PAG2 says that in needs cases separate figures excluding pre-marital or post-separation pension should rarely be asked for.
Is the CETV the real value of a police pension?
It is the value the law uses as the starting point, but it is calculated on assumptions set for public service schemes and can move when they change: the SCAPE discount rate rose from CPI + 1.7% to CPI + 2.0% on 19 May 2026, lowering transfer values. PAG2 says public sector benefits are likely to be higher for a given CE than private sector ones. That gap is one reason experts are used.
Can the PolicePay £49.99 report replace a PODE?
No. Our report is an estimate from our own model of the scheme rules and the figures you enter. It is not a CETV, not an expert report under FPR Part 25 and cannot be used as expert evidence in court. It can help you understand the likely size of the numbers, decide whether a PODE is worth instructing and prepare questions for the letter of instruction.
What does a PODE need from the police pension scheme?
The divorce CETV split by scheme, the Form P answers, service history and pensionable pay, whether any service is McCloud remedy service, the member's status (serving, deferred or retired, including ill-health), any lump sum already taken and the scheme's charges. Both of you usually sign letters of authority so the expert can ask providers directly.
Are PODEs regulated?
Not as PODEs. PAG2 recommends that every PODE self-certifies, with a statement of truth, that they have the core competencies, a complaints system, professional indemnity insurance, a peer review policy and continuing professional development, and says a PODE who is not a member of a recognised professional body should say so in the report. Ask to see this before you instruct.
What is a shadow PODE and do I need one?
A shadow PODE is an expert instructed by one party alone to advise that party, for example on what to ask the joint expert or whether a report is needed at all. PAG2 suggests bringing in a suitably qualified adviser or shadow expert early in some cases, and seeking shadow advice if unsure what to ask. It is optional and paid for by the person who instructs them.
Is there free help with pensions on divorce?
MoneyHelper offers a free pensions and divorce appointment by phone, usually up to 60 minutes, aimed at people early in the process; it explains options but does not recommend what to do. Some PODEs offer a free or low-cost initial assessment of whether you need a full report; see the price table.
Sources and how we checked them
Every factual claim on this page was written from the sources below, read on 19 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.
- Pension Advisory Group: A Guide to the Treatment of Pensions on Divorce, second edition (PAG2, Nuffield Foundation, published December 2023, CC BY 4.0) : Appendix C (PODEs unregulated, types), Appendix D (self-certification), Appendix E (letter of instruction, E.3, E.7), Part 6 Case 2 (uniformed services), Appendix I (police traps), para 1.17 (accessed 19 October 2026)
- Family Procedure Rules 2010, Part 25 (justice.gov.uk) : rule 25.3 duty to the court; rule 25.4 permission; rule 25.11 single joint expert (accessed 19 October 2026)
- Practice Direction 25D: financial remedy proceedings, single joint experts and expert evidence (justice.gov.uk) : process for single joint experts in financial cases (accessed 19 October 2026)
- Pensions on Divorce etc. (Provision of Information) Regulations 2000 (SI 2000/1048), regulation 2 : valuation within 3 months, or 6 weeks if the member says it is for divorce proceedings (accessed 19 October 2026)
- Pensions on Divorce etc. (Charging) Regulations 2000 (SI 2000/1049), regulation 3 : a divorce valuation is free unless one was provided in the previous 12 months, or other exceptions apply (accessed 19 October 2026)
- Welfare Reform and Pensions Act 1999, section 29 : the debit and credit; a percentage of the cash equivalent on the valuation day (accessed 19 October 2026)
- Police Pensions (Remediable Service) Regulations 2023 (SI 2023/831), regulation 24 : greater of legacy and reformed values for remedy service in divorce valuations (accessed 19 October 2026)
- Government Actuary's Department: public service pension schemes, new CETV factors (GOV.UK, 16 June 2026) : SCAPE change on 19 May 2026; calculations suspended; new factors (accessed 19 October 2026)
- GAD Factor Guidance Hub: Police (England and Wales) guidance notes : transfer value and pension sharing guidance for the 1987, 2006 and 2015 schemes (summarised, not reproduced) (accessed 19 October 2026)
- Metropolitan Police pensions on divorce or dissolution: schedule of charges v30 (dated April 2023) : £4,070 implementation (active or deferred), £340 second CETV; uprated each April, 2026 figures not confirmed (accessed 19 October 2026)
- SPPA: Pensions on Divorce, Police and Fire (1 April 2026) : £3,600 + VAT (£4,320) standard implementation charge; Scottish valuation (accessed 19 October 2026)
- Advicenow: Pensions and divorce (updated September 2026) : police pensions probably need an expert whatever their value; cost ranges; timing; questions to ask; implementation fees usually split (accessed 19 October 2026)
- GOV.UK: Form P, pension inquiry form : information needed when a pension sharing or attachment order may be made (accessed 19 October 2026)
- GOV.UK: Get a divorce; apply for a consent order; get the court to decide : court fees £628, £62 and £321 (accessed 19 October 2026)
- MoneyHelper: free pensions and divorce or dissolution appointment : free phone appointment, usually up to 60 minutes (details from MoneyHelper's own blog and listings, as the page blocked automated reading) (accessed 19 October 2026)
- The Pensions Experts: fees : price table (accessed 19 October 2026)
- Pensions on Divorce (pensionsondivorce.com) : price table (accessed 19 October 2026)
- Smith & Pinching: PODE services leaflet (March 2023) : price table (accessed 19 October 2026)
- Shackleton Advisers: pension on divorce expert : price table (accessed 19 October 2026)
- Lowry Legal: do I need a pension on divorce expert? : price table (accessed 19 October 2026)
- Smart Divorce: do we really need an actuary? : price table (accessed 19 October 2026)
- Matrimonial Causes Act 1973, section 24B : a pension sharing order does not take effect until the divorce is made final (accessed 19 October 2026)
- Divorce etc. (Pensions) Regulations 2000 (SI 2000/1123), regulation 9 : not before 7 days after the appeal period ends (accessed 19 October 2026)
- Welfare Reform and Pensions Act 1999, sections 28 and 34 : four-month implementation period; Scottish two-month deadline (s.28(7)) (accessed 19 October 2026)
- GOV.UK: Form P1, pension sharing annex : the annex to a pension sharing order (accessed 19 October 2026)
- SRA Code of Conduct for Solicitors, paragraph 8.7 : best possible information about the likely overall cost (accessed 19 October 2026)
On this topic elsewhere
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Disclaimer
PolicePay.co.uk is an independent reference site. It is not a law firm or a financial adviser, is not regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority or authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority, and this page is general information, not legal, financial or pension advice. Every divorce settlement depends on the facts, and pension sharing is decided by agreement or by a court. Figures from our calculators are estimates on stated assumptions: the scheme administrator's cash equivalent and the court order are what count. For decisions about your settlement, speak to a family solicitor and, where the pension is a large part of the money, a pension on divorce expert. Details apply to England and Wales unless stated. Details are as checked on 19 October 2026.