Police Pensions

The reason is the money can stay in the governments coffers. If we had stayed together he would have the full pension now so we would both benefit as we classed our finances as equally shared. As it is he gets his 50% and my 50% is still with the government.

People do not seem to realise the amount of salary police pay into their pension because they retire early. I had to work to supplement my husbands income until I had my accident.

On the contrary I am very familiar with the small print of the police pension scheme...

The police pension scheme is an 'unfunded scheme' and not like other pensions. Money is taken out of the police officer's salary each month and labeled 'pension contribution' but this is not put into a 'pension pot' but is used to help subsidise the taxpayer who actually pays a retired police officer's pension from their taxes.

If an officer retires after 30 years and gets his/her share the other share is not 'still there' because it doesn't actually exist until it is paid... and then it comes straight out of the taxpayer's pocket.

If an ex spouse needs their income supplemented I don't see why I the taxpayer should pay it - I didn't marry the officer's ex spouse. I'd rather the retired police officer supported his ex, if that is what is required.

Many pensions provide benefits to spouses, which is why legislation was brought in to provide e-spouses with shares of their partner's pensions - which as exes of police officers you will get. The argument here is if you should receive them early like your spouse and I can see no reason why you should.

If a police officers works past his/her 30 years there are options concerning their pensions - they do not have to take them. My partner has chosen not to take his. He will still have to pay 11% of his salary but will not benefit any more from that 11% than he already has, so the status quo exists. Other officers can choose to take their pensions and remain in the police service under a different contract. However, there is a huge risk to this, as they can be 'let go' at any time with only 28 days notice, so this is rather a risky option.

Sorry,

You are incorrect. Pension contributions are not payable once an officer has got his 30 years in.

You are clearly lucky (at the moment) that you and your police officer partner are together.

If you had supported your partner whilst he worked and paid into a pension, you may think differently if subsequently you divorced and he got the half he was entitled to, yet you had to wait 10 years to receive the half you were entitled to.

Jo x

At the end of the day the police officer would have been entitled to the WHOLE of the pension after 30 years service. The tax payer is losing nothing, rather gaining in the extra years of half of it and the police officer losing.

If it is ordered/consented that as part of the divorce settlement half of his pension is given to his wife/husband, that is what should happen and does and can happen.

If he has agreed to that then that should happen. Why should he have to provide top-up to her income? He has already agreed/ordered to give half his pension, that should be enough.

Jo x

Ephelia, just gone through your posts and can see why you are not happy.

Your partner (a police officer) left his wife for you. It all makes sense now.

Jo x

Actually I agree with Ephelia, the pension money does not belong to the individual officer who paid it in and his her spouse. It goes into a general pot to subsidise all police pensions, 11% deductions ARE harsh but they nowhere near cover the pensions that are payable. Police pensions are paid out of the public purse, and the administrators of that scheme have a duty to ensure that that money goes only to those who are entitled to it.

If the ex-spouse has a need to be supported by their police officer ex from age 55 why not allow the officer to keep their pension and negotiate SM for half the amount of the pension for life. That way no-one loses out.

Before anyone starts slagging me off and assuming I am somehow not entitled to an opinion on the subject (as it would appear Ephelia is not)I am the ex-wife of a police officer, I know that off-nights grumpiness, the uncommunicative grunts after a late and the general annoyance of having to change arrangements because paperwork over-runs the end of a shift. I also know I don't have arthritis in my knees from walking the beat, or nightmares from being unable to save someone's life etc. That's why when my husband decided our marriage wasn't working I told him I wasn't going to claim any of his Police pension because I hadn't earned it.

If there is a need for maintenance by all means claim it, but the Police and MOD pension arrangements are set up to protect the tax-payer and there are other way ex-spouses financial needs can be met.

As a married couple income is jointly for the family. The family work jointly together, support each other and their children and agree with each other.

Clearly, if a divorce is to happen and there is enough assets to offset the pension so that the police officer keeps it all fair enough.

That clearly happened in your case.

Jo x