How can I take control?
You can choose when you want to claim your benefits. You can claim them before, at or after your alpha NPA. The date you claim your pension will affect the amount of pension that you will get in two ways:
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The longer you stay in service and as a member of the scheme, the more alpha pension you will build up.
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Your pension can be reduced if you claim it before your NPA, or it can be increased if you claim it later than your NPA.
In summary, the longer you work the more pension you will build up, and the later you retire, the higher your pension will be.
You may want to think about how much income you will need in retirement. This may help you to make decisions that are best for you.
How much you may need will depend on your circumstances. Retirement Living Standards are produced each year that gives an idea of what income one may need in retirement based on your chosen lifestyle.
How do I know how much pension I will get?
You will get a benefit statement each year that will show you how much pension you have built up. There are various tools available on the Civil Service Pensions website that you can use to estimate how much pension you may get at the time you want to claim it.
How can I boost my benefits?
You can:
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Purchase added pension. This is available to all active members, and there are no age limits
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Invest in a separate AVC fund through your Civil Service pay.
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Pay for an earlier Effective Pension Age (EPA) This allows you to pay for your pension to be paid potentially 1, 2, or 3 years earlier than your State Pension Age. You must apply before the deadline for each scheme year to have that portion to be payable earlier. You cannot usually pay for EPA in arrears.
