Civil Service pension calculator
See what your Civil Service pension could pay when you retire, in today’s money. It covers alpha, the older classic, premium and nuvos schemes, the McCloud choice, your lump sum and early retirement. For civil servants and HMPPS prison staff.
Your Civil Service pension
Prison staff: include unsocial hours and pensionable committed hours in your pay. Years in alpha means since April 2022, or since you joined if later.
Your options
Annual allowance: your pension grows by about £12,965 this year against an allowance of £60,000. You are within it.
See what this income leaves after tax with the income tax calculator.
How alpha builds your pension
Every year you add 2.32% of your pensionable earnings to your pension. For a new Band 3 prison officer on £34,928 including unsocial hours, that is £810 of yearly pension for one year’s work. Each April the pension you have built goes up with inflation, so this calculator shows it in today’s money. Working from 30 to 67 on that pay builds about £32,413 a year.
What you pay in
| Pensionable pay | You pay |
|---|---|
| Up to £36,199 | 4.6% |
| £36,200 to £56,000 | 5.45% |
| £56,001 to £150,000 | 7.35% |
| £150,001 and above | 8.05% |
Contributions come out before Income Tax. Unsocial hours and pensionable committed hours count as pensionable pay for prison staff. See your take-home with the prison officer pay calculator.
The older schemes
- classic: 1/80 of final salary for each year, plus a tax-free lump sum of three times the pension. Pension age 60.
- premium: 1/60 of final salary for each year, no automatic lump sum. Pension age 60.
- nuvos: 2.3% of each year’s pay, career average. Pension age 65.
If you were in one of these on 31 March 2012, your service from April 2015 to March 2022 is covered by the McCloud remedy, and you choose at retirement whether it counts in that scheme or alpha. The calculator picks whichever is worth more by default.
Estimates only. Your annual benefit statement shows your actual pension. This does not model partial retirement, Effective Pension Age, added pension, ill-health or death benefits.
Common questions
How is the alpha pension worked out?
Each year you build 2.32% of that year’s pensionable earnings as pension. It is increased in line with inflation each year, so it keeps its value. Your employer pays 28.97% of your pay into the scheme.
When can I take my alpha pension?
In full at your State Pension age, or 65 if that is later. You can take it from 55 (57 from April 2028), reduced for early payment, or pay extra to retire earlier through Effective Pension Age.
Can prison officers retire at 60?
Not without a reduction under alpha. Prison officers’ pension age in alpha is their State Pension age, which unions are campaigning to lower. Staff with classic or premium service keep a pension age of 60 for that service.
What is the McCloud remedy for the Civil Service?
Service from April 2015 to March 2022 for members affected by the 2015 changes was moved back into their legacy scheme. At retirement you choose whether that service counts in the legacy scheme or alpha.
How much do I pay into the Civil Service pension?
Between 4.6% and 8.05% of pensionable pay in 2026/27, taken before Income Tax.
Can I take a lump sum from alpha?
Yes, by giving up some pension. Each £1 of yearly pension you give up buys £12 of tax-free cash, up to about a quarter of the total value. You break even after about 12 years.
What is the partnership pension?
It is a workplace pension the employer pays into, with or without contributions from you, instead of alpha. You build a pot rather than a guaranteed income. For most people alpha pays more.
What happens to my alpha pension if I leave?
If you have at least two years of membership, it stays in the scheme and keeps rising with inflation until you take it. With less, you can usually get your contributions back.