Additional Notes for Active Members of the 2006 Police Pension Scheme

These notes accompany your 2021 active benefit statement. 
News

Age discrimination court case

You can find details of this case on our website at: https://hants.gov.uk/hampshire-services/pensions/police/all-schemes/mccloud-sargeant-age-discrimination

Please be assured that if you are affected by the remedy for this case then Pension Services will contact you.

When can I take my benefits?

The information provided in this statement is based on you leaving active membership the day before your Normal Pension Age (NPA). If you are due to move to the 2015 scheme, the Retirement Date shown is your 60th birthday as this is when all of your benefits are payable in full, without reductions. However, is it possible to take your 2006 scheme benefits earlier, on your 55th birthday, you do not have to take your 2015 benefits at the same time.

If you take your pension before your NPA, reductions may be applied to your pension. If you take your pension after your NPA, increases will be applied. At any time, the Government may change the factors and methodology used to calculate the reductions and increases which may result in a corresponding change to the pension you are paid at retirement.

What options do I have when I take my benefits?

When you retire, you can exchange your standard lump sum to purchase additional pension in the 2006 scheme. In the 2015 scheme you can choose to give up some of your pension for additional lump sum.

You can choose to take just your 2006 scheme benefits when you leave the scheme and take your CARE benefits separately.

Partner's pension

A surviving partner's pension is shown if our records indicate you are married or in a civil partnership.

You can use a nomination of cohabiting partner form, available from our website, if you are not married or in a civil partnership and wish to nominate a cohabiting partner.

If you have a spouse or civil partner, they automatically qualify to receive a pension if you were to die in service, provided you married or formed a civil partnership at least 6 months before you died. This is a scheme benefit that is paid to surviving partners and will not reduce or affect your pension even if you do not have a partner.

If you have a declared partner and meet certain conditions, your partner may be eligible for a pension even though you are not married or in a civil partnership. You cannot nominate anyone else to receive a partner's pension.

If you are currently married but subsequently re-marry after you retire, your new spouse may not be entitled to as much pension as your original spouse was.

If your surviving partner is more than 12 years younger than you, his or her pension will be reduced to reflect the age difference. This reduction will be 2.5% for every year or part of a year by which he or she is more than 12 years younger than you, up to a maximum reduction of 50%.

Your dependant children may also be eligible to receive a pension if you die in service and they meet certain conditions. Please see our website for more information.

Your pensionable pay

Your pensionable pay was provided by your employer. If you do not agree with the amount shown on your statement, please contact your employer.

Death grant lump sum

If you die while contributing to the scheme, a lump sum death grant will be paid to:

  • your spouse or civil partner, or
  • your declared partner, at the Chief Constable's discretion, or
  • a nominee, if you do not have a partner, at the Chief Constable's discretion, or
  • to your personal representative as part of your estate.

You can provide a nomination or update an existing one on the Member Portal.

Alternatively, you can complete a Death grant expression of wish form available from our website.

Please note - the death grant lump sum would only be paid to your nominee in the event that you do not leave a surviving partner. In the absence of a surviving partner or valid nomination, the death grant would be paid to your estate and would therefore be subject to inheritance tax.

Lifetime Allowance

The LTA applies to the value of your combined UK registered pension schemes and some overseas schemes; the value shown relates to this pension.

Most people's benefits will not exceed the LTA, but we need to provide this information to everyone.

The information shown here is not a transfer value. To obtain a transfer value, please complete a cash equivalent transfer value form, available from our website.

The LTA for 2021/22 is £1,073,100. There will be no increase to the LTA for five years from 6 April 2021. Please see our website for more information. The value shown is based on the pension benefits on this statement only.

Annual Allowance

HM Revenue and Customs sets an annual allowance, which is the amount by which your benefits can increase in a year without being subject to tax. The standard annual allowance is currently £40,000. If you have exceeded the standard annual allowance limit in the year you will receive a Pension Savings Statement by 6 October 2022.

A tapered annual allowance may apply for people with adjusted income of £150,000 and over. If you think this applies to you, please contact us.

You can find more information about annual allowance on our website.

Previous Years' Benefit Statement Notes