Breaks in service
At a glance
From time to time you may take a break from your regular employment and plan to return to work. Depending on the type of break, you may be able to make up any missed contributions to the scheme to ensure your pension isn’t impacted.
You are in the
2015 scheme
Under five years
Unpaid leave
If you go on unpaid leave, for less than five years, you have the option to make up contributions for this period to ensure that you continue to build up benefits.
This includes leave such as unpaid:
- adoption leave
- maternity leave
- parental leave
- maternity support leave
- adoption support leave
- sick leave of 6 months or less (subject to a lifetime total of 12 months)
To make contributions for one of these periods, you must let your employer know within three months of returning to work, or leaving the police force if that is sooner. Your contribution would be based on your actual pensionable earnings before starting the leave.
If you do not pay contributions for these periods, your benefits would remain in the scheme but you would not build up pension for this period of time. When you return to work and you begin contributing again, your pension would continue to build up.
Unpaid leave for more than five years
If you go on unpaid leave for more than five years, your benefits will become deferred.
Making up any gaps
Career breaks
You cannot pay contributions when you are on an unpaid career break. If you take an unpaid career break, your benefits would remain in the scheme but you would not build up pension for this period of time. When you return to work and you begin contributing again your pension would continue to build up.
If you wanted to make up any gap in your pension, you could consider making added pension payments. Find out more in the added pension section.