Police pension anger at ‘broken promise’ to women officers

SENIOR police leaders have accused the government of sex discrimination as part of a toxic pensions row that is due before the High Court later this month.

The Police Superintendents’ Association (PSA), which represents some of the service’s most senior ranks, claims ministers broke a promise to older officers over future pension provisions.

They will argue government plans disproportionately affect female officers, especially the pioneers of part-time working in the police, and sends the wrong message to women when they are trying to improve the gender balance in forces.

Police officers qualify for a full pension after 30 years, but forces are moving away from expensive final salary schemes towards less generous packages.

In 2012, the government announced that officers would adopt a new pension scheme based on their average earnings rather than their final income.

But ministers confirmed that anyone aged over 45 could see out their career under the old scheme.

The PSA says most of those affected are women, who took family career breaks and have not yet completed 30 years full service.

The offer to ring-fence the final salary scheme for older officers was deemed to breach age discrimination laws.

The government therefore announced that as of next April the whole of policing would migrate to the less generous scheme.

But the PSA has argued such a move represents a broken promise to officers told their pension provisions would be protected for life.

At a judicial review hearing at the High Court on November 16, they will challenge the proposal on the basis it discriminates against women, who are being unfairly penalised.

A group of women are also

‘Those officers were given a promise that their future pensions were guaranteed’

taking their cases to an industrial tribunal. Dan Murphy from the PSA, said: “These officers were given a promise that their future pensions were guaranteed and that promise has been broken.

“These women we are representing were the pioneers of part-time working in the police and are set to lose large sums of money.”

Women make up fewer than a third of police officers in England and Wales but the target is for a 50-50 split.

A spokesman for the Home Office said they did not comment on ongoing litigation.