Can you cash in pensions early, ie now?

[bohemianbint]

(not mine, I haven't got one) but DP apparently has one worth £10k which would be more use to us now - can you cash them in immediately? I'm just looking for info on it and I can't find any at all.

i don't think so....i think somewhere in the blurb it wil tell you the earliest he can take any out

The 10k "value" may be assuming you leave it where it is until retirement age (should somewhere on the statement) ie that is what he might receive pa at 65(say). Normally you can only freeze or transfer until then.

If he is over fifty you can cash in small pensions (I think small pensions are defined as those worth less than 15K) iirc.

Not normally you can't. I had one which was worth peanuts but I couldn't cash it in, only transfer it or 'freeze' it - ie just leave it without making any further contributions.
There are exceptions, eg. if you have an old pension which is being 'wound up' - then depending what it's worth, you can either transfer it or get it in cash. After the first £700 though it gets taxed at 40%!

Ah bugger. That was his cunning masterplan to clear all his debts.

Thanks for the speedy answers though!