I’m jealous that my cousin retired at 55 on a police final salary pension scheme

[Neapolitanicecream]

Just that really. I’m jealous of everyone that has retired on a police final salary scheme from 55 years and I have to work till 67 and not sure what I will get.

I just wish I hadn’t bothered with my degree and never earned much over average. I’d have been much better off joining the force or even a council job apperently.

YABU. Lots of officers are burnt out by then. Having seen stuff no one wants to, dead bodies, kids dying, being spat on and disrespected but then shouted at when those same people want help. Not to mention shift work. They regularly put themselves in danger to help others

you made your choice to not join. You could have tried to make extra payments into your pension.

My DH and I retired at 52 and 55 on just under 100,000 per year income. It was a priority of ours so chose degrees and a job that pay well. We also paid a considerable amount each month into our pensions.
Why did you choose your degree and an average paying job if early retirement was so important to you?

You sound really bitter. Nothing stopped you making the same choices.
Armed forces and the police literally risk their lives for your safety and a pension after serving your duty is well known.

I doubt you could take the life of a serving police officer so begrudging their pension because whatever it is you do doesn't let you retire early is on you. It's a brutal job to do.

FFS! I'm in the LGPS and work for a Council (have done since I graduated). I won't be able to retire until I'm 67. As someone else so rightly said get your facts straight. And no, I do not begrudge police officers retiring at 55.

NHS special status people used to be able to retire at 55. I think its right the police regularly have to chase and restrain people most 70 years olds aren't physically able to do it.

I'm a council worker and won't retire until I'm 67.

It's a very stressful, hands on often dangerous job, they deserve their retirement and pension! My Dad's second career was a policeman and when he retired he still continued to work for another 10 years in a related field so it doesn't mean that they're not still working.

11% of the wage from day 1 to do it.

My Dad and brother were both police officers. After 55 they’re so worn down I think only a desk job would work.

You make your choice you take your chance. You could have joined the police, but presumably you didn't want to for whatever reason. You could also have got a council job, but you'd likely be retiring a lot later than 55, if you wait for the full pension. Or you could have saved more for retirement in whatever job you've done. If you couldn't afford that, you could have trained in a field that's higher paying. All choices, all open to you, it's a bit pointless being jealous of someone else's position, when your position is presumably due to your choices. You say you went to uni, you therefore had choices.

you do know that you can pay into a SIPP or AVC/FSAVC to increase what you get?

Public Sector pension schemes have changed quite a bit. Staff and employers have to pay quite a bit to fund them. With the revaluation in progress contributions from employees are likely to go much higher that the current 9% we pay.

The police deserve every penny. Can you imagine doing that job at 60! They deal with so much.

Is the NHS retirement age now the state pension age (so 67/68 for most)? That's the case for teachers now, but what that actually looks like is untested. Currently, teachers can retire at 60, so most do retire around that age. We'll soon be into the generation who can't retire until 65, and then shorty after that 67/68. What are hospitals and schools going to do with the elderly nurses and teachers? I just can't see how it's feasible, both are physically demanding jobs.

I signed up at 18 and retired just before my 50th birthday. Worked shifts, 3 weekends in 4 or 5 from 6 for 30 years, saw every kind of death, far too many suicides, abuse of every kind and ran response teams for years and years.
Oddly enough, my siblings and parents had the same view as the OP.
I knew what the risks were and the price to be paid in family time, birthdays, Xmas etc and did it because it really needs doing. My wife and son accepted it too.
A brilliant career for those who can stick it out. Yes - still get the flashbacks and bad memories, but also can't do my shopping without bumping into some lovely folk that I had the privilege to look after.
Pension contributions were 11% when I started and now around 14% I believe.
Blessed and privileged doesn't get close.

This, plus the shifts, the grief from neighbours. Knowing that the next physical could end their careers.

And police pay 11% of their salary into a career-average pension, not a final salary scheme. Perhaps if you'd paid in 11% you'd be able to retire too.

So you've made some crappy decisions and not had a particularly successful career as a result so you think everyone else should suffer? Is that the crux of it?

YANBU to want to retire at 55 on a nice pension but wrong to be jealous of the police pension.
It’s a horrible job dealing with the grimmest of the public however great Sarah Lancashire makes it look and most people hate you for political or personal reasons. No thanks.
I ‘m getting on a bit and frankly I’m more worried about when I’m going to be dead than my exciting lifestyle post work. Just get on with whatever you’re doing, keep healthy and don’t stress.

Currently, teachers can retire at 60, so most do retire around that age

Not all teachers. The TP scheme has changed. It depends when the the person teaching.
https://www.teacherspensions.co.uk/members/planning-retirement/when-can-you-retire.aspx

I don't know where you get your info that most teachers retire at 60, but would be interested to see it.

I think the key question is whether you’ve worked shifts, long hours and in similar conditions.

if so, then YANBU. If you haven’t, then YABU.

Bu the way, a final salary doesn’t mean the same salary you had before you leave but it is a great perk in fairness.

Jealousy is so ugly 🤷‍♀️.
Be thankful your healthy and able to work!

The starting salary for a police officer is just under 20k. They pay 14.5% into their pension. They have their rest days and leave cancelled, often at short notice. Work stupid shifts, deal with fatal accidents, murder, child and other sexual abuse. They have to tell people their loved one has died, they get spat at, assaulted and sometimes worse. They miss out on so much of family life.

The newest pension is nowhere near as good as the old one or final salary.

yabu

I'm an MH and LD nurse regularly get physically assaulted and have to restrain. Special status was taken away and its now 67 probably 70 . I'm not sure it will be possible to do the job at 70 years old.

I'd rather slog on and retire at 67 than be exposed to some of the situations a police officer could be exposed to even once!

I'm not sure you read my post properly, or you misunderstood it. I get my info from my lived experience of being a teacher. My colleagues who are approaching 60 can retire at 60 because when the changes to the scheme were made, their retirement age was protected. I'm well aware that most teachers cannot now retire at 60. I am one of them, my pension age is 68. My colleagues' pension ages all vary depending on how old they are, or when they started teaching. If they're nearly 60 now, their pension age is still 60. Many have a mix of final salary penison, which can be taken at 65, or career average, which will be either 67 or 68, depending on their age. Everyone who joined recently will be retiring at state pension age.

Be happy for your cousin I am.