Transferring in

If you move between police forces, you should let your new employer know that you have already been building up benefits in the police pension scheme to ensure you can continue to build up benefits in the same way. Your contribution rate would continue at the same rate until it is assessed again on 1 April. 

Moving within England and Wales – the amount you have built up will remain the same. 

Moving from Northern Ireland or Scotland – the pension you have built up in those schemes will be transferred to the equivalent police pension scheme in England and Wales. 

You can apply to transfer in benefits from another pension scheme to the police pension scheme.

You must do this within 12 months of becoming eligible to join the police pension scheme. 

To do this, you should find out the value of the benefits that you would like to transfer in, your administrator can then let you know what they could get you in the police pension scheme. You can then decide if you want to go ahead with the transfer.

There are a range of pension schemes which are part of the ‘public sector transfer club’. If you are thinking about transferring benefits into the police pension scheme from one of these schemes you must do so within 12 months of joining the scheme. Ask your administrator for a full list of pension schemes that are part of this club.

Although you may change employers whilst remaining a police officer, British transport police, the civil nuclear constabulary and ministry of defence police do not offer the police pension scheme, so transfers in may be handled differently.

If you are thinking about transferring in from a non-home office police force, your scheme manager will be able to confirm the rules that are eligible to you. 

If you have a break in service, which is over five years, you may not be able to continue the transfer in the same way.