Parental leave and your pension

When you're on parental leave (including maternity, paternity or adoption leave) you'll remain a member of your firefighters' pension scheme. However, the precise arrangements for pension purposes will depend on whether you're on paid or unpaid parental leave.

Paid parental leave

While you're on paid parental leave, you'll continue to pay scheme contributions which will be deducted from the pensionable pay you actually receive. 

Similarly, any 'Keeping in Touch' days you undertake are pensionable and scheme contributions will be deducted from your pay for these days.

Unpaid parental leave

If you're on unpaid parental leave, it’s not compulsory to pay scheme contributions but you can choose to pay any missed contributions when you return to work.

If you do choose to pay contributions to cover any period of unpaid leave, you must make arrangements with your employer within 30 days of your return to work or (if you aren't returning to work) within 30 days of the day your employment ends. If these voluntary payments aren't made, you won't accrue any pension benefits for the period of unpaid leave.

If you don't return to work after a period of parental leave

Your last day of scheme membership will be the last day you pay scheme contributions. Any pension you have accumulated to this point will be preserved and your membership will be deferred.