You can choose to claim your pension early any time after your pension scheme’s early retirement age:

  • nuvos and alpha - 55
  • classic, classic plus, and premium members who joined before 06 April 2006 - 50
  • classic, classic plus, and premium members who joined on or after 06 April 2006 - 55

If you claim your pension before the normal retirement age for your pension scheme, it will be reduced because it is paid early. The reduction depends on which pension scheme you’re in and how many years before your retirement age it’s being claimed.

Log into the Portal and use the modeller to see how much your pension might be reduced by. If you can’t access the Portal, use the Early Retirement Estimator.

If you still work for the Civil Service - talk to your employer about your plans to retire early and arrange a planned retirement date. Your employer will then request a retirement quote from us.

If you have left the Civil Service and have an unclaimed pension – complete a Change of details and Retirement Form – Deferred members and send it to us. Remember to include the date you want your pension to start from.

Read your scheme guide for more information on early retirement

EPA (Effective Pension Age)

EPA is buying the right to take a portion of your alpha pension unreduced before your normal pension age. This is one of the ways that alpha members can take control of their retirement planning.

More information on EPA (Effective Pension Age)

Step by step guide to claiming your pension

Use the Pension Portal or other pension calculators to get an estimate of your pension amount and options.

4 months before your planned retirement date. If you’re still working for the Civil Service - talk to your employer about your plans to retire and arrange a planned retirement date. Your employer will then request a retirement quote from us.

If you have left the Civil Service and have an unclaimed pension – complete a Change of details and Retirement Form – Deferred members and send it to us.

We’ll check your records and calculate your pension amount. We may need to contact you or your employer for more information.

Around 2 months before your planned retirement date we’ll send you a quote of your pension amount, an option form and personal details form.

For those members impacted by 2015 Remedy (McCloud), it will also include a choice about how you would like part of your benefits to be calculated.

You should complete and return your forms to us as soon as possible.

If we receive your completed forms at least 1 month before your planned retirement date, any lump sum due should be paid shortly after you retire, into the bank account you provided in your form.

You’ll receive your first pension payment a month after your retirement date. This is paid monthly, in arrears. If we receive your option form less than 1 month before your planned retirement date, it may result in a delay.

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Published:
7 December 2021
Last updated:
28 September 2023
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