Losing Army Pension when you turn 65?

**The_Magician** · 08-03-2010, 11:53

Hi Guys

I heard a horrible rumour that you lose your Army Pension when you turn 65 when you are in receipt of a State Pension?

Is this the case?

If this is the case my idea of a great retirement are out the window!!

Ah well Sh*t happens.

Magic

**whosthedaddy** · 08-03-2010, 11:59

Hmmm, sounds like a load of piffle to me. Your Army pension cannot simply be stopped because you are receiving a LOWER State pension. Just like Teachers/Policemen etc will continue to get their pension whilst also receiving state pension, so will you.

**Count.Dracule** · 08-03-2010, 12:03

Assuming i live to 65

However I would not be surprised if you keep your Army pension but lose your state pension.

I would not take anything for granted these days!

**The_Magician** · 08-03-2010, 12:09

Thanks Guys

Yep I am White, Male, Hetrosexual and almost Middle Class easy target.

Magic

**CaptainWillard** · 08-03-2010, 12:10

Stop giving the bstards ideas.

You get both.

CW

Quis Separabit
Vestigia Nulla Retrorsum

**The_Magician** · 08-03-2010, 12:13

Originally Posted by CaptainWillard

Stop giving the bstards ideas.

You get both.

CW

Quis Separabit
Vestigia Nulla Retrorsum

CW

Cheers for that I take it you are talking from experince or know someone in receipt of both?

Magic

Magic

**Hairy_Fairy** · 08-03-2010, 12:20

Old man has just turned 65, and was in receipt of an Army (Officers) pension.

You do get both, but there was a bit of buggering about due to some part of one of the pensions being used for some government minimum standards crap - so he ended up losing a bit - not a lot.

Can you tell I don't really know what I'm talking about? Am sure there'll be some RAPC chap along soon who'll know the gen.

**johnboyzzz** · 08-03-2010, 12:24

Originally Posted by The_Magician

Hi Guys

I heard a horrible rumour that you lose your Army Pension when you turn 65 when you are in receipt of a State Pension?

Is this the case?

If this is the case my idea of a great retirement are out the window!!

Ah well Sh*t happens.

Magic

Hey old yin

If you joined the Armed Forces between 1975 and 5 April 2005 you will be a member of the Armed Forces Pension Scheme 1975 (AFPS 75).

This is a work-related scheme that began in 1975.

Under this scheme, your pension is payable to you when you are 60. The amount of your pension will depend on your rank and length of service.

This pension does not affect your state pension. You are entitled to start receiving the state pension at retirement age. This is currently 65 for men and 60 for women but will be different from 6 April 2010. This is because the age difference between men and women is gradually being equalised and the retirement age for both men and women is gradually being increased.

Source: http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/index/...r_families.htm

If you want to find out how much your state pension is then try -

http://www.thepensionservice.gov.uk/

**genuine_exscaley** · 08-03-2010, 12:27

[quote="CaptainWillard"]Stop giving the bstards ideas.

You get both.

CW
/unquote]

Sadly, not exactly true. Don't have the letter I have just received in front of me but it DOES contain a statement that it (my Army pension) will be reduced according to how much State pension I receive when I'm 65. So if your Army pension = your State pension, logically you lose one or the other. Guaranteed: You won't get all of both.

**The_Magician** · 08-03-2010, 12:27

Originally Posted by Hairy_Fairy

Old man has just turned 65, and was in receipt of an Army (Officers) pension.

You do get both, but there was a bit of buggering about due to some part of one of the pensions being used for some government minimum standards crap - so he ended up losing a bit - not a lot.

Can you tell I don't really know what I'm talking about? Am sure there'll be some RAPC chap along soon who'll know the gen.

Thanks for this Fairy, but I think Officers Pension is slightly different form an OR Pension

Cheers anyway

Magic

**Gungythree** · 08-03-2010, 12:32

Originally Posted by The_Magician

Hi Guys

I heard a horrible rumour that you lose your Army Pension when you turn 65 when you are in receipt of a State Pension?

Is this the case?

If this is the case my idea of a great retirement are out the window!!

Ah well Sh*t happens.

Magic

Nope,I got mine last year,now I can bimble about supermarkets holding up young squaddies,who then come on Arrse and whine about old cnuts

:D :D :D

**Drlligaf** · 08-03-2010, 12:34

My father gets both and has done for around 40 years (costing HMG a small fortune :D ).

**Sixty** · 08-03-2010, 12:34

Originally Posted by The_Magician

Originally Posted by Hairy_Fairy

Old man has just turned 65, and was in receipt of an Army (Officers) pension.

You do get both, but there was a bit of buggering about due to some part of one of the pensions being used for some government minimum standards crap - so he ended up losing a bit - not a lot.

Can you tell I don't really know what I'm talking about? Am sure there'll be some RAPC chap along soon who'll know the gen.

Thanks for this Fairy, but I think Officers Pension is slightly different form an OR Pension

Cheers anyway

Magic

Not substantially. Once you turn 65, your Army pension will reduce to take in to account the fact that you're now receiving the State Pension (in line with pretty much every Defined Benefit scheme in the country).

You're also not entitled to the State Second Pension by virtue of paying lower NI contributions but frankly, your Army pension will more than make up for this.

**oldbaldy** · 08-03-2010, 12:43

It's all to do with the Guaranteed Minimum Pension:

A GMP is the minimum pension which an occupational scheme such as the Armed Forces Pension Scheme (AFPS) must provide as one of the conditions of contracting out. The AFPS is contracted out of the Second State pension, previously known as State Earnings Related Pension Scheme (SERPS). If you or your deceased spouse were employed in the Services and a member of AFPS 75 between 6 April 1978 and 5 April 1997 you will have earned a GMP.

GMP is not a separate benefit paid in addition to your AFPS pension but the pension we pay you must equal or exceed the GMP.

HM Revenue and Customs work out the level of your GMP. Your GMP comes into force normally when you ask for your State pension to be paid to you. (There are circumstances when the GMP comes into force at a later date but the effect on your AFPS pension is the same).

If you go in deeper than that & try to work anything out your head will hurt.

**Norfolknchance** · 08-03-2010, 12:51

Although not quite yet at that elderly age where I can say anything with certainty (and that goes for most things in my life!), a friend is in his late 60's and mentioned that the old age pension does affect the Army pension but not a lot. He was an OR as well so I'm not too bothered (until of course the reduction kicks in then whoever is in power had better watch their proverbial arrseholes coz I'll be gunning for them!)

Anyway, the Army pension kicks in at 55 and not 60 if you've served 22 years so those who commuted part of their pension will have it restored, a generous rise of around 45% (if memory serves).