Ill health

Police Pension Scheme 1987 (PPS 1987)

Your pension may be paid if you leave service due to ill health or disability.

Process

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary must select a duly qualified medical practitioner and ask them whether you are disabled and if it's likely to be permanent.

It will be assumed that you are receiving appropriate treatment, but this does not include treatment that it would be reasonable for you to refuse. The medical practitioner will consider issues such as your ability to:

  • run, walk reasonable distances and stand for a reasonable period
  • exercise reasonable physical force in restraint and retention in custody
  • sit for reasonable periods, write, read, use the phone and use (or learn to use) IT
  • make decisions and report situations to others
  • evaluate information and record details
  • understand, retain and explain facts and procedures

The medical practitioner's opinion will be based on an examination unless there are very exceptional circumstances. Even if you are considered permanently disabled for the ordinary duties of the police force, you may not receive an ill health pension. The police authority will consider your specific disabilities and overall capabilities to see whether there are any alternative duties which you could undertake as a police officer.

Ill health pension

If you are paid an ill health pension, it will be calculated in the same way as an ordinary pension and then enhanced. The maximum pension you could receive is 40/60 of final pay, and the service cannot be more than you would have had by your compulsory retirement age.

Pensionable service Proportion of final pay
2 to under 5 years 1/60 per year, not enhanced
5 to 10 years 2/60 per year
10 to 13 years 20/60
Over 13 years 1/60 for each year up to 20 years
2/60 for each year over 20 years
plus 7/60
Injury due to your default

Your ill health pension may be reduced by up to half if you substantially contributed to your permanent disablement by your own default.

Review of ill health pension

The police authority has discretion to consider whether your disability has ceased. It can do this up until you would have had 25 years service or reached your compulsory retirement age. If it is determined that your disability has ceased, the police authority can offer you an opportunity to re-join the force at the rank you previously held. Your pension will be terminated if you re-join the force. Your pension will become deferred if you decline, and will be payable from age 60.

Injury awards

If you become permanently disabled as a result of being injured on duty, you may qualify for an award under the Police (Injury Benefit) Regulations. These are not part of the PPS.