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How To Retire

How Do I Retire?

Even if you have the full 30 years pensionable service, you still need to inform the organisation that you wish to retire, on a given date.

There is no need to retire immediately on passing the 30 year point, but consideration will need to be given as to whether you continue to contribute to the pension scheme.

The minimum notification period required is 28 days.

You should put your notification in a letter or email to your LPA Human Resources via your Line Manager.

We also recommend sending an email to: LeavingTVP@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk – this is an address on the internal email system.

If you are certain that your retirement decision will not change a longer notice period than the minimum 28 days would be beneficial, especially for you.  This point is especially true if you have a stock of leave or rest days to take prior to your retirement day. Give plenty of notice and ensure all the administration is done prior to leaving, Please be aware that Police Regulations do not allow for the payment of untaken rest days, so use up your entitlement before leaving. Ensure that you speak to duties prior to submitting your letter of retirement to confirm with them the details of any pre retirement leave.

We recommend that you include the following information in your letter of retirement.

  • Your details
  • Your intended date of retirement
  • Whether or not you intend to commute a portion of your pension
  • Details of any pre-retirement leave, including using up rest days
  • If you are away on holiday towards the end of your service, what is the last date you are available to complete the relevant pre-retirement paperwork

XPS administer the pensions on behalf of the force. Once Payroll are notified of a Retirement they will send the information to XPS and XPS will then use this information to help calculate the retirement benefits and will write to you at your home address enclosing the option form. This should be completed and returned to XPS ASAP.

The 3 options available to you are:

  1. Pension without Commutation
  2. Maximum Commutation and the residual pension
  3. Maximum Commutation while avoiding taxation and the residual pension

Ensure this form is signed and returned with your Commutation election ASAP. If this is not done prior to your retirement date you could lose the right to a Tax Free lump sum.

Payment of your lump sum will normally be made within the first week of retirement.

Voluntary deductions from pay will be taken in full from your final pay. You will receive the letter opposite concerning this.

Certain deductions will then be automatically transferred to your pension, unless you notify payroll to stop them. The cost of the relevant deductions will be changed where appropriate to reflect the retired amount.

These deductions will include:

  • Group insurance Scheme
  • PMAS
  • Copperpot
  • Health Scheme
  • Benevolent Fund

An application to join NARPO will be included in the correspondence, but you can sign up online here.

As a result of receiving a pension your income tax coding will automatically be transferred.  If you are taking up new employment it will be your responsibility to inform the Tax Office – Newcastle upon Tyne – 0300 200 3300 about that employment and your new employer that you are in receipt of a pension.