“Home Office leaving officers in the dark on their pensions”

OFFICERS are being “left in the dark” and “kept in limbo”, it has been claimed, as the Home Office refuses to publish details about the new police pension – scheduled to begin in less than four months’ time.

Thames Valley Police Federation has hit out at the Government for failing to publish any detail around the new career average salary (CARE) scheme – despite the federation’s requests for information. The new scheme is due to start on 1 April 2015.

But guidance has yet to be provided by the Government.

Clive Benson, Secretary of Thames Valley Police Federation, said officers are unable to plan for their future because they do not know what sort of pension they will receive.

He said: “The new scheme is due to start in April, but at the minute the regulations have not been finalised and they may not be finalised until March. We know the gist of the pension scheme but we do not have the details.

“It could be just days or weeks before the pensions come into effect which is wholly unacceptable for something which is such a major aspect of officers’ lives.”

Mr Benson said officers who want to plan their futures are unable to do so because they have no idea what their pensions will end up as.

He added: “There is a lot of bad feeling among officers that seem to think the Police Federation aren’t doing anything about pensions – and I want them to know that we have our hands tied. We cannot do anything until the Home Office publishes the regulations.

“These officers are left in limbo. They are completely in the dark. People cannot plan for their futures. Lots of them are worrying about their commutations, as many people use them to pay off their mortgages. But nobody can get a projection of their pensions, so there is a lot of doubt and upset.

“There is a lot of uncertainty which is affecting those who are due to retire and those who want to plan for the long term. It is a really sore point for officers. We, as a local federation, are extremely frustrated with the Home Office as we cannot advise them.”

The new “career average” pension scheme for officers, coming in April, will replace the current final salary scheme and a new “normal” pension age of 60 will be introduced. Average member contributions will be 13.7 per cent.

Andy Fittes, general secretary of the Police Federation of England and Wales, has said he has been promised that the guidance will come in January and then force pension department will be able to advise officers about where they stand.

Speaking at the Greater Manchester Police Federation Open Meeting, he said: “I realise pensions is a huge issue for all officers. The Government have a responsibility to tell officers what they are going to do to them as far as the new pension scheme goes.

“It is ridiculous that we are now only a few months away from the start of the new scheme and yet there has been no guidance from the Home Office on exactly what is going to happen to officers. “

In a statement to PoliceOracle.com this week, Police Minister Mike Penning MP said: “Officers do a vital job and policing remains an attractive and well-paid career, with a pension that is among the best available.

“The new police pension scheme will come into effect in 2015. The Police Negotiating Board, along with police officer staff associations, including the Police Federation and Superintendents’ Associa-tion, have been fully engaged in the process of pension reform. They are currently being formally consulted on the draft regulations.”