Pension Blow Proves Need For Industrial Rights

South Yorkshire Police Federation has renewed calls for officers to be granted industrial rights following what it described as “absolutely appalling” overnight changes to police pensions that have left some retiring officers thousands of pounds out of pocket.

Officers who retired after 22 May will receive almost 5% less than those who retired earlier, despite paying the same amount into their pensions, because of a change to the rate the Government uses to calculate pension lump sums.

The changes are expected to affect 678 South Yorkshire Police officers, leaving many furious.

Federation Chair Steve Kent said: “This will affect most people in the ’87 scheme by thousands of pounds.

“I’m really disappointed that industrial rights have taken a back seat, because this is exactly why we need them.

“Without industrial rights, the Government are going to continue to do this to us. We need to push for them, and we need to push aggressively.”

Steve said securing industrial rights should become the Police Federation of England and Wales’ top priority to better protect officers in future.

He said: “To be blunt, we can’t do anything about this until we have some industrial rights that we can push back with. It is absolutely shocking how this was done, and if this was any other organisation, there would have been consequences. However, our officers are just expected to swallow it.”

With some officers left up to £7,000 worse off, Steve warned the changes could set a worrying precedent.

He explained: “What does this mean down the road? Are they going to do this again? Are they going to keep doing it? Are they going to keep squeezing our pensions that we pay such a lot of money for?

“We’ve been totally betrayed by the Government on this one.”