Going back to work

Police Pension Scheme Members

What happens to my pension if I go back to work?

If you leave the police service but then return to service as a regular police officer at a later date, the PPS regulations can affect you in a number of ways.

Resumption of police service before usual pension age

In general, if you resume police service having previously left the police either with a deferred pension (generally payable at age 60) or with an ill-health pension and you did not transfer your PPS benefits to another pension scheme, your deferred pension will be cancelled and your previous pensionable service will be added to your second period of service towards one pension. You will not need to make any payments to reinstate your previous service for pensionable purposes. Depending on your circumstances, you might only be able to join NPPS. However, if you resume police service after having received a refund of your previous pension contributions, the refund would have to be repaid in order that your previous pensionable service can be restored.

You need to notify the police authority of your wish to repay such a refund within six months of joining or re-joining the force (or before you cease to serve, if sooner), unless they allow a later notification.

Resumption of police service after receipt of a pension

At present it is relatively unusual for a retired police officer to serve again as a regular police officer, except where an officer retires with an ordinary pension prior to taking up an appointment as an inspector or assistant inspector of constabulary. If you are re-engaged after 6 April 2006 after having retired, you may join the NPPS if your total pensionable service is less than 30 years and this will build up benefits for a second police pension for you, although you will not be able to accrue a total across both schemes of more than the equivalent of 30 years pensionable service in PPS.