Leaving the scheme (before retiring)

If you have at least two years’ qualifying service we will preserve your pension for payment at the pension age. When you claim your pension, we will pay it with increases in line with the cost of living.

You can claim your pension from age 50 if you joined premium before 6 April 2006, or from age 55 if you joined after that date. However,  if you claim your pension before age 60 we will permanently reduce your pension for early payment.

You can also ask for a transfer value to be made to another Defined Benefit pension scheme. The transfer value will be equal to the cash value of your benefits.

If you leave before pension age with more than three months' but less than two years' service (including any service you have transferred in) and do not already have a preserved award, the Scheme Administrator (MyCSP) will give you the choice to either:

• have a refund of your contributions, less tax and your share of the cost of reinstating you in the State Second Pension (where appropriate) for any service prior to 6 April 2016; Or,
• transfer the value of the benefits you have built up to another pension scheme. You must tell the Scheme Administrator (MyCSP) if you want this to happen. Be aware that time limits and other restrictions may apply.

If you have to leave the Civil Service before scheme pension age, and our Scheme Medical Adviser (SMA) agrees that you cannot do your job because your health has broken down permanently, we may pay you your pension early without reduction. If you have less than ten years’ service we may give you extra years of service, subject to limitations.

If our SMA agrees that your ill health is so severe that you cannot do your own or a similar job, we may also give you all the extra years of service you would have expected to have had if you had worked to the scheme pension age.

You must have at least two years’ qualifying service.

Your employer  may pay you compensation for loss of employment under the Civil Service Compensation Scheme if you have at least two years’ service.

Find out more about the Civil Service Compensation Scheme.

If, having joined premium, you wish to ‘opt out’, you can do so at the next available pay period. We advise you to think very carefully about what you are giving up.

Find out more about opting out.

You may also wish to consult an Independent Financial Adviser (IFA).

If you decide to opt out you can download the latest version of the Opt Out form, or you can ask the Scheme Administrator (MyCSP) for a copy.

You should send the completed Opt Out form to your employer.

Once you have opted out, you can rejoin at a later date in your service if you wish but you will only have one opportunity to opt back in.

Please note: The Pensions Act 2011 requires all employers to automatically re-enrol most workers who are not in a qualifying pension scheme periodically (usually every three years), from the employer’s automatic enrolment staging date. The Civil Service applies this to all workers who are not currently in a qualifying pension scheme. Your employer will be able to tell you when this is.

You can switch to partnership, a defined contribution pension at any time. If you want to do this you will need to complete a Pension Switch form and return it to your employer at least two months before the date you want to switch.

Find out more about partnership.