Region’s Feds “to seek further legal advice” on pensions

THE Police Federations in the North East region of England and Wales – including South Yorkshire Police Federation – have said they will “seek further legal advice” once the new police pensions regulations are published.

Having previously sought legal advice – independent of the National Federation over the pension changes in 2012 – South Yorkshire Police Federation has vowed to be part of a joint effort to do so again in the near future. 

A statement said: “South Yorkshire Police Federation sought independent legal advice in 2012 about the new pension scheme. That advice came back to say that so far the Government were acting lawfully, and that you could not make a legal challenge against something that was not enacted yet.

“The Chairs and Secretaries of the JBBs in Region 2 (Northumbria, Durham, Cleveland, North Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, Humberside & South Yorkshire) met on Monday 26th January. We have decided that when the new police pension scheme regulations are finally published we will thoroughly examine them with expert help, and will seek further legal advice.”

On 1 April, the new CARE scheme will replace the final salary scheme and a new pension age of 60 will be introduced for police officers. The majority of officers will be paying 13.44 per cent of their salaries into their pensions.

However, there will be no change in pension age or amount for those who on 1 April 2012 were aged 45 or over, or aged 38 or over and members of the 1987 police pension scheme with 10 years or less to go before retirement with a maximum 30-year pension.