Police pension calculator
See what your police pension could pay when you retire, in today’s money. It covers the 2015 scheme, the older 1987 and 2006 schemes, the McCloud choice, your lump sum and early retirement.
Your police pension
Use basic pay plus London Weighting. Years in the 2015 scheme means since April 2022, or since you joined if later. Normal pension age is 60.
Your options
Annual allowance: your pension grows by about £9,567 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 the 2015 scheme builds your pension
Every year you add 1/55.3 of your pensionable pay. A constable on £44,544 builds £805 of yearly pension for a year’s service. Each year the total grows by inflation plus 1.25%, so in today’s money it keeps growing ahead of prices while you serve. Joining at 25 and serving to 60 on that pay builds about £37,600 a year.
What you pay in
| Pensionable pay | You pay |
|---|---|
| £37,035 or less | 12.88% |
| More than £37,035, less than £79,588 | 13.88% |
| £79,588 or more | 14.22% |
Police officers pay more than most public sector workers, but the scheme has one of the lowest pension ages. See your take-home with the police pay calculator.
The older schemes
- PPS 1987: 1/60 of final salary for each of the first 20 years and 2/60 after that, up to two-thirds of final salary after 30 years. No automatic lump sum, but you can commute part of the pension.
- NPPS 2006: 1/70 of final salary a year, plus an automatic lump sum of four times the pension. Pension age 55.
Estimates only. Your annual benefit statement shows your actual pension. The 1987 scheme is simplified here: in reality you can retire at any age after 30 years, and commutation rules depend on age and service.
Common questions
How is the 2015 police pension worked out?
Each year you build 1/55.3 of your pensionable pay as pension. Everything you have built goes up by inflation plus 1.25% each year while you serve.
When can police officers retire?
The 2015 scheme pays in full at 60. You can take it from 55 with a reduction for early payment. If you leave before then, your pension is paid at State Pension age.
What happens to my 1987 or 2006 service?
Service up to March 2015 stays in your old scheme, paid on your final salary. Service from April 2015 to March 2022 is covered by the McCloud remedy, and you choose whether it counts in the old scheme or the 2015 scheme.
How much do police officers pay into their pension?
12.88%, 13.88% or 14.22% of pensionable pay from April 2026, depending on your actual pay. It is taken before Income Tax.
Can I retire from the police at 55?
Yes, but your 2015 pension is reduced for being paid early, by roughly 5% for each year before 60. You can pay extra while serving to buy out some or all of that reduction.
Is there a lump sum in the 2015 police pension?
It is optional. You can give up some pension for tax-free cash at £12 for every £1 of yearly pension. The 2006 scheme pays an automatic lump sum of four times your pension.
What happens if I die in service?
The scheme pays a death grant of three times your pensionable pay, plus pensions for a spouse or partner and eligible children.