Maximum pension
For the FPS 1992 the principle of double accrual means that firefighters can achieve a maximum pension within 30 years’ service.
For each of the first 20 years of pensionable service, you will get 1/60th of average pensionable pay and for each of the following years you will get 2/60ths of average pensionable pay.
The maximum number of 60ths that you can count is 40. This means the maximum pension you can accrue in 30 years is 40 ÷ 60ths of your average pensionable pay, expressed as a decimal that is 0.6667 or as a fraction 2/3rds.
20 years × 1 ÷ 60 = [20 ÷ 60] + 10 × 2 ÷ 60 = [20 ÷ 60] = 40 ÷ 60
40 ÷ 60 = 0.6667
2/3rds = 0.6667
The double accrual is sometimes expressed as 45ths rather than 60ths. That is because 30 ÷ 45 is the same as 40 ÷ 60; they both equal 0.667 or expressed another way 2/3rds
30 ÷ 45 = 0.6667
For example, if you retire at age 55 with 30 years of pensionable service and average pensionable pay of £30,000, your pension could be worked out in any of the following ways, but all would have the same result. This is illustrated in the table below (where "APP" means average pensionable pay).
| Service | times | APP | equals | Pension per annum |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40 ÷ 60 | x | £30,000 | = | £20,000 |
| 30 ÷ 45 | x | £30,000 | = | £20,000 |
| 2 ÷ 3 | x | £30,000 | = | £20,000 |
| 0.6667 | x | £30,000 | = | £20,000 |
Less than 30 years' service
For members who retire with less than 30 years’ service, for example at age 55 with less than 30 years, or over age 50 with more than 25 years, double accrual still applies at 2/60ths for every year over 20.
| Calendar service | Service to 20 years | plus | Double accrual >20 years | equals | Pensionable service | Decimal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 years |
20 years × 1 ÷ 60 = [20 ÷ 60] |
+ |
1 × 2 ÷ 60 = [2 ÷ 60] |
= | 22 ÷ 60 | 0.3667 |
| 22 years |
20 years × 1 ÷ 60 = [20 ÷ 60] |
+ |
2 × 2 ÷ 60 = [4 ÷ 60] |
= | 24 ÷ 60 | 0.4 |
| 23 years |
20 years × 1 ÷ 60 = [20 ÷ 60] |
+ |
3 × 2 ÷ 60 = [6 ÷ 60] |
= | 26 ÷ 60 | 0.4333 |
| 24 years |
20 years × 1 ÷ 60 = [20 ÷ 60] |
+ |
4 × 2 ÷ 60 = [8 ÷ 60] |
= | 28 ÷ 60 | 0.4667 |
| 25 years |
20 years × 1 ÷ 60 = [20 ÷ 60] |
+ |
5 × 2 ÷ 60 = [10 ÷ 60] |
= | 30 ÷ 60 | 0.5 |
| 26 years |
20 years × 1 ÷ 60 = [20 ÷ 60] |
+ |
6 × 2 ÷ 60 = [12 ÷ 60] |
= | 32 ÷ 60 | 0.5333 |
| 27 years |
20 years × 1 ÷ 60 = [20 ÷ 60] |
+ |
7 × 2 ÷ 60 = [14 ÷ 60] |
= | 34 ÷ 60 | 0.5667 |
| 28 years |
20 years × 1 ÷ 60 = [20 ÷ 60] |
+ |
8 × 2 ÷ 60 = [16 ÷ 60] |
= | 36 ÷ 60 | 0.6 |
| 29 years |
20 years × 1 ÷ 60 = [20 ÷ 60] |
+ |
9 × 2 ÷ 60 = [18 ÷ 60] |
= | 38 ÷ 60 | 0.6333 |
| 30 years |
20 years × 1 ÷ 60 = [20 ÷ 60] |
+ |
10 × 2 ÷ 60 = [20 ÷ 60] |
= | 40 ÷ 60 | 0.6667 |
So if you retire at age 50 with the same pay of £30,000, your pension would be
(20 x 1/60) + (7 x 2/60) x £30,000 = 34/60 x £30,000 = £17,000 a year.