Police Pension Scheme

Ill-Health

The arrangements for ill-health retirement under the 2006 Scheme are complex. There is a set order of procedure and before any decision can be made, the Police Force must appoint a duly qualified Medical Practitioner (the 'Selected Medical Practitioner' (SMP) to determine whether you are permanently disabled for ‘the performance of the ordinary duties of a member of the Police Force’. This judgement will be based on a medical examination (unless there are very exceptional circumstances).

Even if you are assessed as permanently disabled for the performance of the ordinary duties of a member of the Police Force, it does not automatically mean that you will be retired on ill-health grounds. The Police Force will consider your specific disabilities and overall capabilities to see whether there are alternative duties which you could undertake whilst remaining a Police Officer.

There are two levels of ill-health retirement:

  • If you are permanently disabled for the ordinary duties of a member of the Police Force, you may be entitled to a Standard ill-health pension;
  • if you are permanently disabled for the ordinary duties of a member of the Police Force and in addition you are permanently disabled for any regular employment, you may be entitled to an Enhanced top-up ill-health pension in addition to a standard ill-health pension. For this purpose, 'regular employment' means employment for an annual average of at least 30 hours per week.

The maximum possible ill-health pension is 35/70ths and there is an associated lump sum of 4 times the pension.