At a Glance
Key features of the FPS 2007 include:
- A Final Salary scheme, which means that your pension is calculated as a proportion of your final pensionable pay i.e. the earnings in your last year of service as a member of the Scheme.
- The pension that you will receive depends on your pensionable service, which for most firefighters will be the length of service in the Fire Service for which you have paid pension contributions, with appropriate adjustments for part-time service.
- The normal pension age is 60. However, a firefighter can choose to retire before this at age 55 or over with immediate payment of benefits but an actuarial reduction of 5%.
- Each year of pensionable service gives entitlement to a pension of 1/60th of final pay, up to a limit of 40/60ths.
- An option to commute part of your pension for a tax-free lump sum.
- Pensions in payment are increased for inflation.
- A lump sum death grant of 3 times’ pay is payable and you have some freedom to nominate who should receive it.
- A pension for a spouse or civil partner is payable for life, normally half of the firefighters' pension entitlement.
- A partner who is neither a spouse nor a civil partner may be eligible for a pension payable for life, subject to certain criteria being met.
- Dependent children under the age of 23 may qualify for a pension.
- An immediate pension and lump sum is payable to any firefighter at any age who is granted ill-health retirement.
- There is a facility to buy more pension in the scheme (added years) within the overall limit of 40 years.
- Every firefighter has an opportunity to opt out of the scheme.
- If you build up pension rights in the scheme but leave the Fire Service (or opt out of the Scheme) before retirement, you will be eligible for a deferred pension payable at age 65 unreduced.