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👮 Police Pension Transfer

Police Pension Transfer Know Your Rights

The Police Pension Scheme offers excellent benefits including early retirement provisions. Transferring out is a major decision that requires careful consideration and regulated financial advice.

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What Is a Police Pension Transfer?

A police pension transfer involves moving benefits from the Police Pension Scheme to a personal pension such as a SIPP. The UK operates several police pension schemes: the 1987 Scheme (PPS 1987), the 2006 Scheme (NPPS 2006), and the 2015 Scheme (PPS 2015). Police pensions are among the most generous in the UK, offering early retirement, high accrual rates, and guaranteed inflation-linked income.

The police pension is particularly unusual because of its very early retirement age. Under PPS 1987, officers can retire with a full pension after 30 years of service, regardless of age – meaning someone who joined at 19 could retire at 49 with a full pension. The 2015 scheme has a normal pension age of 60, still significantly earlier than the State Pension age.

Transferring out means giving up these guaranteed benefits for a CETV. As a DB scheme worth over £30,000, regulated financial advice is mandatory. Key considerations include:

  • Early retirement age – PPS 1987 allows retirement after 30 years with a full pension (typically age 48-52). PPS 2015 has a pension age of 60. These early access benefits are exceptionally valuable and lost on transfer.
  • High accrual rates – PPS 1987 accrues at 1/60th per year, while PPS 2015 accrues at 1/55.3th (career average). These are generous compared to most public and private sector schemes.
  • McCloud remedy – police officers who were in the 1987 or 2006 schemes before moving to PPS 2015 may benefit from the McCloud remedy, potentially increasing their benefits.
  • Commutation options – police officers can commute part of their pension for a tax-free lump sum. The commutation rates in police schemes are often favourable.
  • Ill-health pensions – police officers who are medically retired may receive enhanced pension benefits. These are separate from the main pension and cannot be transferred.
  • Double accrual – under PPS 1987, officers who serve beyond 30 years earn double accrual (2/60ths per year), rapidly increasing their pension. This feature is unique to the police scheme.
Key fact: A police officer who completes 30 years under PPS 1987 receives a pension of 30/60ths (50%) of their final average salary, plus a lump sum of 30/60ths x 3, payable immediately regardless of age. This is one of the most generous pension provisions in the entire UK workforce.
Police Pension Options

Keeping vs Transferring Your Police Pension

Compare what the police pension offers against a personal pension after transfer.

FeatureKeep Police PensionTransfer to Personal Pension
Retirement ageAfter 30 years (PPS 87) or age 60 (2015)Age 55 (rising to 57 from 2028)
Income guaranteeGuaranteed, CPI-linked for lifeDepends on investment returns
Accrual rate1/60th (87) or 1/55.3th (2015)N/A – depends on contributions
Death benefitsSpouse pension + lump sumFull remaining pot to any beneficiary
FlexibilityFixed income structureFull flexibility under pension freedoms
Double accrualAvailable after 30 years (PPS 87)Not available
Important: Police pensions offer some of the most generous early retirement benefits in the UK. The ability to retire with 50% of salary after 30 years of service is exceptionally valuable. Transferring means giving up this guarantee permanently and is not suitable for the vast majority of police officers.
Who Is It For?

Who Benefits from Police Pension Transfer Advice?

While most police officers should keep their pension, there are limited circumstances where transfer advice is valuable.

👮

Left the Police Early

You left the police service before completing 30 years and have a deferred pension. The transfer decision for early leavers is different from those with full service entitlements.

Review your deferred benefits and compare with CETV
❤️

Health Concerns

If you have a reduced life expectancy, the guaranteed income becomes less valuable and a transferred pot could offer more flexibility and better inheritance options.

Assess how your health affects the transfer calculation
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Estate Planning for Non-Spouse

Police pension death benefits are primarily for spouses and dependants. If you want to leave pension savings to other family members, a DC pension offers more flexibility.

Compare police scheme death benefits against DC options
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Significant Other Wealth

If you have substantial private wealth, property income, or other pension arrangements, the guaranteed police pension may be less critical and you may value flexibility more.

Model your total retirement income from all sources
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Successful Second Career

Many police officers have long second careers after retiring from the force. If your second career has generated significant additional pensions, your total retirement picture may support a different approach.

Review all your pension arrangements together
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Planning to Live Overseas

If you intend to retire abroad, managing a UK police pension from overseas may present challenges. A personal pension could offer more flexibility for international living.

Get international pension advice before transferring

Considering your police pension options?

Get matched with an FCA-regulated adviser experienced with police pension schemes. Free matching, no obligation.

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Costs Explained

How Much Does Police Pension Transfer Advice Cost?

Police pension transfer advice requires understanding of the unique scheme benefits, including early retirement and double accrual.

£1,500–£4,500
Initial Transfer Advice
Comprehensive analysis of your police pension benefits across scheme sections, early retirement entitlements, McCloud remedy impact, CETV assessment, and a personal recommendation. Legally required for benefits worth over £30,000.
0.5%–1%/year
Ongoing Management
If you transfer, annual fees cover investment management, drawdown planning, and regular reviews. Particularly important for police officers who retire early and need their pot to last potentially 40+ years.
Worth knowing: Through PensionHelper, our matching service is free with no obligation. Police pensions are uniquely generous with early access benefits that make transfer unsuitable for most officers. Expert analysis is essential to make the right decision.
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Real Reviews

What Our Customers Say

David C.
David C.
West Yorkshire • Police Pension Transfer
★★★★★
“30-year pension kept”

With 30 years of service and a pension of £27,000 from age 49, the adviser confirmed what I suspected – my police pension was far too valuable to transfer. The CETV would have needed 9% annual returns to match it.

Sarah N.
Sarah N.
Metropolitan London • Police Pension Transfer
★★★★★
“Early leaver options reviewed”

I left the police after 12 years for a career change. With a deferred pension rather than a full service one, the transfer decision was less clear-cut. The adviser ran full projections and helped me make an informed choice.

Mark J.
Mark J.
Greater Manchester • Police Pension Transfer
★★★★★
“McCloud remedy impact assessed”

The adviser calculated how the McCloud remedy would affect my pension, having been in PPS 1987 before moving to PPS 2015. My benefits were worth more than I realised. Decided to keep the pension.

Rebecca G.
Rebecca G.
Hampshire • Police Pension Transfer
★★★★★
“Second career pensions reviewed”

After 25 years in the police and 10 years in a second career, I had pensions from both. The adviser reviewed everything together and created a coordinated retirement plan. My police pension is the cornerstone.

Ian W.
Ian W.
Merseyside • Police Pension Transfer
★★★★★
“Honest and straightforward”

The adviser told me straight – transferring my police pension would be one of the worst financial decisions I could make. That directness is exactly what you need when dealing with something this important.

Karen P.
Karen P.
Edinburgh • Police Pension Transfer
★★★★★
“Widow’s pension explained”

My main concern was what would happen to my husband if I died. The adviser explained the police widow’s pension in detail and showed it was actually very generous. Kept the pension with peace of mind.

Learn More

Related Guides

Explore our guides for more information on police pension transfers.

DB Pension Transfers

Understanding defined benefit transfers

Police Pension Advice

Specialist advice for police officers

Local Government Transfers

LGPS pension options

Military Pension Transfers

Armed forces pension options

Early Retirement

Planning for early retirement

Pension Transfer Guide

Complete guide to UK pension transfers
Got Questions?

Police Pension Transfer: Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, you can request a CETV from the police pension scheme and transfer to a SIPP. As a DB scheme typically worth over £30,000, regulated financial advice from a qualified pension transfer specialist is legally required before any transfer.
Under PPS 1987, officers can retire with a full pension after 30 years of service (regardless of age). Under PPS 2006, the pension age is 55. Under PPS 2015, the pension age is 60. These early access benefits are among the most generous in the UK workforce.
Under PPS 1987, an officer with 30 years receives 30/60ths (50%) of final average salary, plus a lump sum. A sergeant earning £45,000 would receive around £22,500 per year plus a lump sum of approximately £67,500, all from their late forties. CETVs can be several hundred thousand pounds.
Under PPS 1987, officers who serve beyond 30 years earn double accrual – 2/60ths per year instead of 1/60th. This means each additional year adds twice the pension benefit, up to a maximum of 40/60ths (two-thirds of salary).
Yes. Officers who were in PPS 1987 or PPS 2006 before moving to PPS 2015 may benefit. The remedy ensures they receive the better of old and new scheme benefits for the transitional period (2015 to 2022), which could increase their pension entitlement.
For the vast majority of police officers, especially those with full service benefits, the answer is no. The early retirement age, high accrual rate, and guaranteed income are extremely valuable. Transfer may only suit those with very specific circumstances like reduced life expectancy or no dependants.
If you leave the police before completing full service, your pension becomes deferred. Under PPS 1987, you would receive a pension at age 60 based on years served. Under PPS 2015, the deferred pension age is 60. You can request a CETV to explore transfer options.
The police scheme provides a death-in-service lump sum, a survivor’s pension for your spouse or partner, and children’s pensions. Under PPS 1987, the widow’s pension is typically 50% of the member’s pension. These benefits are valuable and would be lost on transfer.
Yes. You can receive your police pension and work in any job, including returning to the police as a civilian employee. Your pension income is taxed as income and added to any employment earnings, so you need to be aware of the combined tax impact.
Contact your force’s pension administrator or the police pension authority to request a CETV quotation. This is typically processed within 3 to 6 weeks. The CETV is usually valid for 3 months from the guarantee date.
Yes. Police pensions are increased annually in line with CPI. This inflation protection ensures your pension maintains its purchasing power throughout what could be a very long retirement, given the early retirement ages available in police schemes.
Yes. Under PPS 1987, officers automatically receive a lump sum in addition to their annual pension. Under PPS 2015, officers can commute up to 25% of their pension for a tax-free lump sum. The commutation rates vary between scheme sections.
Under PPS 2015, officer contribution rates range from 12.44% to 13.78% of pensionable pay, depending on salary. These are higher than most pension schemes, but the benefits are correspondingly generous, and the employer contributes an additional 31% of pensionable pay.
Part-time officers accrue pension benefits based on their part-time hours relative to full-time. So 20 years of part-time service at 50% would count as 10 years for pension purposes. The pension is calculated on actual pensionable pay or its whole-time equivalent, depending on the scheme section.
Through PensionHelper, you can be matched with an FCA-regulated adviser experienced in police pension transfers. The Police Federation also provides general pension guidance. Always ensure any adviser holds the required DB pension transfer qualifications.

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