Civil service classic final pensionable earnings rules.

Fphelp123

Hi all, where can I find the full rules around calculating final pensionable earnings for the classic scheme? I have read on the forum that when you preserve your pension/leave classic scheme they look at your earning when you leave and step back 91 days a total of 12 times to see which is the highest in cash terms but if it is a previous period it’s uplifted by inflation to the date you leave. I can find the 91 day period bit in the scheme guide but  nothing about the amount being uplifted by inflation. The only part I can find about this is that it is uplifted by inflation while you are a deferred member, have I missed a bit or is there a more detailed guide I need to refer to?  

Here is my dilemma. I opted out of the civil service scheme in January 2025 when my salary was £62,000 approximately, maybe 65,000 including a backdated pay rise. My salary from January 22 to January 23 was £76,500 and I had no plans to go for another promotion or temporary one. However with some major pay increases and regrading etc my salary at April 2025 has jumped to £78,000 so I am now wondering if I made a mistake with it. 

If my January 2023 salary is increased by inflation until I left and then continues to be while it is preserved it looks like it would be worth it to run with the partnership pension for 5 years as I’m thinking a total of 7 years inflation increases from January 23 will be better than what my £78k salary will grow to over the next 5 years. Am I missing anything in this thought process?  

I also like the idea of having a tax free lump sum and a dc pot to use more of during early retirement years as I know too many colleagues who struggled in early retirement years and now have way more db pension than they can seem to spend. I want to enjoy the healthy years more. But I could also do this through AVC’s if it makes poor financial sense to keep the classic pension deferred. 

All help appreciated as I want to plan for the best possible retirement particularly those early years and maybe even escape a few years early. 

hara____

Here's a related answer from hugheskevi that should help: 
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/79379400/#Comment_79379400

Fphelp123

hara____ said:

Here's a related answer from hugheskevi that should help: 
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/79379400/#Comment_79379400

Thanks a lot of helpful info there. The bit I can’t see is the rule about your best salary from the previous 3 years being increased to the date you leave, I can see it gets inflationary increases from the time it is preserved but I’m not finding anything on what would be a two year period for me in between best salary in cash terms and when I left the scheme.  

hugheskevi

Fphelp123 said:

hara____ said:

Here's a related answer from hugheskevi that should help: 
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/79379400/#Comment_79379400

Thanks a lot of helpful info there. The bit I can’t see is the rule about your best salary from the previous 3 years being increased to the date you leave, I can see it gets inflationary increases from the time it is preserved but I’m not finding anything on what would be a two year period for me in between best salary in cash terms and when I left the scheme.  

I had a look online, and there is no written confirmation. As is common with Classic, the scheme rules were not helpful. I wish the scheme put full worked examples in the literature, it would be so helpful, but that is very rare.

So I think to get the assurance you seek you will need to obtain it from the scheme administrator. Unfortunately the call centre would not be helpful given they could say anything and it would carry no weight. So you would be wanting an email or written response, and that is going to take over a month, and quite likely longer, to get  a reply.