How do i apply for British Army pension?

faringdon

Hi,
I served in the British Army from 11 Feb 1991 to 30 Aug 1999 (8 years and 256 days).
Also, I reached the rank of Sargeant.
I was a Radiographer in the RAMC.
I will be 55 next year, do you know how i can claim the Forces Pension?

faringdon

..Sorry, i left on Sept 27th, 1999 (Again, it was 8 yrs 256 days)

xylophone

Is this relevant?

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/veterans-uk-armed-forces-pensions-forms

Marcon

See https://support.veteransgateway.org.uk/app/answers/detail/a_id/395/~/unclaimed-service-pensions

Silvertabby

Not payable until you are 60, I'm afraid.

faringdon

Thanks...its payble when/if i get to 60, because i did less than 12 years?

Silvertabby

faringdon said:

Thanks...its payble when/if i get to 60, because i did less than 12 years?

Your pension was deferred because you did less than the 22 years needed for an immediate pension.

It's payable from age 60 because those are the rules for AFPS75.  This applies to everyone who met the vesting period, including those who did more than 12 years.

You may be thinking of other public sector pensions (civil service etc) who allow their pensions to be claimed from age 55, subject to an actuarial  reduction for early payment, but that option wasn't extended to AFPS75.

faringdon

Hi, Thanks, i went to the kindly provided web page above but am still not clear how to find out how much Armed Forces Pension i may receive? I was a Band 6, Class 3 Sergeant in the RAMC  and served 8 years 256 days. May i  ask if anyone knows roughly how much pension i may get when i turn 60? I  served from 1991 to  1999.

Silvertabby

[Deleted User] said:

faringdon said:

Hi, Thanks, i went to the kindly provided web page above but am still not clear how to find out how much Armed Forces Pension i may receive? I was a Band 6, Class 3 Sergeant in the RAMC  and served 8 years 256 days. May i  ask if anyone knows roughly how much pension i may get when i turn 60? I  served from 1991 to  1999.

Easiest way is to fill in Form 14 fill it in, post it and wait: https://www.gov.uk/armed-forces-pension-calculator (and next page).  With a bit of luck you might get an updated amount back sometime before you are 60.

Another way is to make a massive a guess.  So with your service and pay of, say, £23,000 in 1999 you might get £23,000 x roughly 9/80th = £2,500 or so.  That is then indexed by CPI inflation to around £5,000 in today's money.   You'd also get a lump sum of three times that.  But guessing isn't a great way of doing pension planning.

A more accurate answer would be to do a subject access request to get your actual pay and use the regs to calculate it: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/armed-forces-pension-scheme-1975-regulations  But no one does that in the real world.

It's better than that !  Yes, the accrual rate of other public sector pensions back then was indeed 1/80th plus an automatic lump sum of 3 X the pension - but the accrual rate for AFPS75 was 1/47th plus a lump sum of 3 X pension.  Note that the pay used is representative (ie, same rate for same rank, regardless of Band).

But the best way is to get a proper quote. Or just submit the claim form if you are within 3 months of your 60th birthday.  AFPS75 pensions don't have choices - ie, it's a set lump sum and pension, without the option to give up some of the pension for a bigger lump sum, or give up some of the lump sum for a bigger pension. 

faringdon

Thanks, does anyone know if one can claim the Armed Forces Pension "Lump sum" early?....ie, pay a bit more tax on it and  receive it before getting to 60 Years old?

Silvertabby

faringdon said:

Thanks, does anyone know if one can claim the Armed Forces Pension "Lump sum" early?....ie, pay a bit more tax on it and  receive it before getting to 60 Years old?

No, age 60 is the earliest you can normally access any/all parts of your AFPS75 benefits.  The only exception being on the grounds of ill health.