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Police Pensions Act 1921

As Enacted Cited authorities 17 Cited in Amendments 336 Related
Vincent
JurisdictionUK Non-devolved
Citation1921 c. 31,11 & 12 Geo. 5 c. 31
Year1921


Police Pensions Act, 1921

(11 & 12 Geo. 5.) CHAPTER 31.

An Act to consolidate and amend the law respecting the Retirement, Pensions, Allowances, and Gratuities of Members of Police Forces in Great Britain, and their Widows, Children, and Dependants.

[28th July 1921]

Be it enacted by the King's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—

Retirement and Pensions.

Retirement and Pensions.

S-1 Age of compulsory retirement.

1 Age of compulsory retirement.

(1) Retirement shall be compulsory in a police force—

for sergeants and constables, on attaining the age of fifty-five;

for superintendents and inspectors, on attaining the age of sixty;

for chief constables and assistant chief constables, on attaining the age of sixty-five:

except that in special cases the chief officer of police, or, where the person concerned is a chief constable or assistant chief constable, the police authority, may extend any such person's service for a further period, in no case exceeding five years, on being satisfied that such extension would be in the interests of efficiency:

Provided that, in the case of a borough having a separate police force, any such extension shall be subject to the approval of the watch committee.

(2) Retirement shall also be compulsory for any member of a police force who is required to retire by the police authority on the ground that his retention in the force would not be in the interests of efficiency, after he has become qualified by length of service to receive on retirement without medical certificate a pension at the rate of two-thirds of his annual pay.

S-2 Pensions and gratuities of members of a police force.

2 Pensions and gratuities of members of a police force.

(1) Subject to the provisions of this Act, every member of a police force—

(a ) if he has completed twenty-five years' approved service, and has given three months' written notice, or such shorter notice as the police authority may accept, to the police authority of his intention to retire, shall be entitled, on the expiration of such notice, without a medical certificate to retire and receive all ordinary pension for life; and

(b ) if he has completed ten years' approved service, and is incapacitated for the performance of his duty by infirmity of mind or body, shall be entitled on a medical certificate to retire and receive an ordinary pension for life; and

(c ) if at any time he is incapacitated for the performance of his duty by infirmity of mind or body occasioned by an injury received in the execution of his duty without his own default, shall be entitled on a medical certificate to retire and receive a special pension for life; and

(d ) if he has not completed ten years' approved service, and is incapacitated for the performance of his duty by infirmity of mind or body not occasioned by such injury as aforesaid, shall be entitled on a medical certificate to retire and receive a gratuity.

(2) Where a member of a police force is compelled to retire under this Act on the ground of age, then—

(a ) if he is not entitled without a medical certificate to retire and receive a pension, he shall be entitled to receive such ordinary pension or gratuity as he would have been entitled to receive had he then retired on a medical certificate; and

(b ) any pension or gratuity to which he is entitled shall be payable as from his retirement, and no notice of intention to retire shall be required.

(3) A chief constable or assistant chief constable appointed after the commencement of this Act shall not, except with the consent of the police authority, be entitled to retire without a medical certificate and receive an ordinary pension, unless at the time of his retirement he has attained the age of sixty.

(4) No gratuity shall be payable to a member of a police force who retires before the expiration of any period which is declared by regulations made under this or any other Act to be a period of probationary service.

S-3 Pensions and gratuities of widows.

3 Pensions and gratuities of widows.

3. Subject to the provisions of this Act—

a ) where a member of a police force who having joined the force after the first day of September, nineteen hundred and eighteen has completed five years' approved service dies whilst serving in the force, or whilst in receipt of a pension from a police authority or in consequence of any disease or injury on account of which he retired from a police force, his widow shall be entitled to a widow's ordinary pension; and
b ) where in any case a member of a police force dies whilst serving in the force from the effects of an injury received in the execution of his duty without his own default, or, having been granted a pension in respect of any such injury, dies from the effects of such injury, his widow shall be entitled, where the injury was accidental to a widow's ordinary pension, and where the injury was non-accidental to a widow's special pension; and
c ) where a member of a police force dies whilst serving in the force and his widow is not entitled to a pension under this Act, his widow shall be entitled to a gratuity; and
d ) where a widow is entitled to a pension under this Act, and the police authority are satisfied that there are special reasons for the grant of a gratuity in lieu thereof, the police authority may, at their discretion and with her consent, grant her a gratuity accordingly.
S-4 Allowances and gratuities of children and dependants.

4 Allowances and gratuities of children and dependants.

4. Subject to the provisions of this Act—

a ) where a member of a police force dies whilst in the force, or where a member of a police force, having been granted a pension, dies within twelve months after the grant of the pension, or at any time from the effects of an injury received in the execution of his duty without his own default, his children under sixteen years of age shall be entitled to allowances until they severally reach the age of sixteen years; and
b ) where the child of a member of a police force is entitled to an allowance under this Act, and the police authority are satisfied that there are special reasons for the grant of a gratuity in lieu thereof, the police authority may, at their discretion and with the consent of the man's widow, or, if he leaves no widow, the guardian of the child, grant a gratuity accordingly; and
c ) where a member of a police force dies whilst in the force, or where a member of a police force, having been granted a pension, dies within twelve months after the grant of the pension, or at any time from the effects of an injury received in the execution of his duty without his own default, the police authority may, if they think fit, grant a gratuity to any relative who has been wholly or mainly dependent upon him.
S-5 Scales of pensions, allowances and gratuities.

5 Scales of pensions, allowances and gratuities.

5. The pensions, allowances and gratuities payable under this Act shall be in accordance with the scales and provisions contained in the First Schedule to this Act, and the general rules contained in Part III. of that schedule shall apply to such pensions, allowances and gratuities.

S-6 Pensions of constables continuing to serve after qualification for pension.

6 Pensions of constables continuing to serve after qualification for pension.

(1) Where a member of a police force is entitled to retire on a pension without a medical certificate, but continues to serve in the force, the police authority may, if they think fit, direct that he shall be entitled, on retiring at any time thereafter, to receive a pension not less in amount than that to which he would have been entitled if he had retired instead of continuing in the force, and in such case the right to receive on retirement such pension shall not, while he continues to serve in the force, be liable to forfeiture, except in the cases in which a pension when granted is liable to forfeiture under this Act.

(2) Before giving any such direction, and every year thereafter, the police authority shall cause him to be examined by some duly qualified medical practitioner, and, if on any such examination it is found that he is not physically fit for further service, the police authority shall not permit him to continue to serve in the force.

(3) Where such a direction is given, a member of a police force, who is entitled to retire without a medical certificate and to receive a pension at the maximum rate provided by this Act, may be granted, in consideration of his continuing to serve, an allowance at a rate not exceeding twelve-and-a-half per cent of his pay. Any such allowance, if granted, shall not be reckoned in the calculation of the amount of pension or gratuity awarded, and no rateable deduction shall be made therefrom under this Act.

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