Police pension calculator
Use this police pension calculator to estimate the annual pension you could build up in the Police Pension Scheme 2015, a career average (CARE) scheme. This is an estimate based on the assumptions you choose, not a promise. Your annual benefit statement is the source of truth.
Rules last checked 13 October 2026.
Your actual pensionable pay. Check your payslip or your Members' Guide for what counts as pensionable.
From now until you retire or leave.
Your pension is revalued each April by the previous September's CPI plus 1.25% until you retire. With CPI at 2%, revaluation is 3.25%. These are example values, not predictions.
Use the figure from your annual benefit statement. This calculator assumes it is the amount at the start of the first year you model.
You get £12 of lump sum for every £1 of annual pension you give up. This cannot be more than your total pension.
Contribution rate
The regulations set a full and a reduced rate for each pay band. Use the rate shown on your payslip, or ask your pension administrator which applies to you.
Uses the CPI rate you entered as the rate of price rises.
Enter your pensionable pay and the years you will keep building pension to see an estimate.
Nothing you enter leaves your device. This is an estimate, not financial advice. Your annual benefit statement from your pension administrator shows your actual benefits.
How the Police Pension Scheme 2015 works
The Police Pension Scheme 2015 is a career average revalued earnings scheme. Each year you build up pension equal to 1/55.3 of your pensionable earnings, which is added to your existing pension. Each April your accrued pension is revalued by the previous September's CPI plus 1.25% until you retire. Your pension is the total of the revalued amounts.
For example, pensionable pay of £55,300 in a year builds £1,000 of pension for that year.
Who is in the 2015 scheme
The scheme started on 1 April 2015. Current members of the older police schemes moved into the 2015 scheme unless they qualified for full or tapered protection. Tapered protection members transfer at the end of their protection period. The 2006 scheme is closed to new members. Check your benefit statement to see what you have.
When you can retire
Normal pension age is 60. You can take your pension from age 55, but it is reduced if you take it earlier, and working beyond 60 earns an uplift. There is no compulsory retirement age. Ill-health retirement can provide immediate benefits, subject to the scheme regulations. Ask your pension administrator for the exact figures.
Police pension lump sum
You can exchange pension for a one-off lump sum. For each £1 of pension you give up you get £12 of lump sum, up to a maximum of 25% of your total pension pot.
You can exchange pension for a lump sum, up to a maximum of 25% of your total pension pot. HMRC's lump sum allowance of £268,275 for most people also applies. This calculator does not check these limits.
Police pension contributions
Member contribution rates for 2026/27, for scheme years starting on or after 1 April 2026:
| Pensionable pay | Full rate | Reduced rate |
|---|---|---|
| £37,035 or less | 12.88% | 10.38% |
| More than £37,035 but less than £79,588 | 13.88% | 11.38% |
| £79,588 or more | 14.22% | 11.72% |
From 1 April 2026 the bands use actual pensionable earnings from the previous scheme year instead of full-time equivalent earnings. Members who joined or rejoined recently are banded on their annual rate of pay until they complete a full scheme year.
The Home Office report states the change was needed to deliver the required average yield of 13.7% from the member contribution structure.
The previous bands, in place from 1 April 2017 to 31 March 2026, were £27,000 or less at 12.44%, more than £27,000 but less than £60,000 at 13.44%, and £60,000 or more at 13.78%.
What this calculator does not include
- The 1987 and 2006 schemes.
- Early and late retirement adjustments.
- Lump sum limit checks.
- Tax on the pension.
- Death grants and family benefits.
- Ill-health benefits.
- Transfers in.
- Scottish or Northern Irish police pension rules.
- Pension increases after retirement.
- The Annual Allowance or other tax limits.
Compare with other public sector schemes: NHS pension calculator and teachers' pension calculator.
Have a private pension too? Try the pension drawdown calculator.
Frequently asked questions
How is a police pension calculated in the 2015 scheme?
It is a career average scheme. Each year you build up pension equal to 1/55.3 of your pensionable earnings, and that amount is added to your pension. Your pension is revalued each year until you retire.
How is the police pension revalued?
Each April the accrued pension rises by the previous September's CPI plus 1.25% until you retire.
What is the normal pension age for the police pension?
Normal pension age in the Police Pension Scheme 2015 is 60. You can take your pension from age 55, but it is reduced if you take it before 60.
Can I take a lump sum from my police pension?
Yes. You can exchange pension for a lump sum. You receive £12 of lump sum for every £1 of pension you give up, up to a maximum of 25% of your total pension pot. HMRC's lump sum allowance also applies.
How much do police officers pay into their pension?
From 1 April 2026 the full rates are 12.88% for pensionable pay of £37,035 or less, 13.88% for pay above £37,035 and below £79,588, and 14.22% for pay of £79,588 or more. A reduced rate is also set for each band.
What changed in police pension contributions on 1 April 2026?
The pay bands changed, and bands now use actual pensionable earnings from the previous scheme year instead of full-time equivalent earnings.
Does this calculator cover the 1987 and 2006 police schemes?
No. It covers the Police Pension Scheme 2015 only. If you have older membership, check your annual benefit statement, because those schemes work differently.
Can I retire early from the police pension scheme?
You can take your pension from age 55, but it is reduced if you take it before normal pension age of 60. Ill-health retirement can provide immediate benefits, subject to the scheme regulations. Ask your pension administrator for the exact figures.
Sources
Rules checked against these pages on 13 October 2026:
Read how we keep calculators accurate, or browse all UK calculators.
PayPrompt is independent and is not affiliated with the Home Office, any police force or any pension administrator.
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