From: Debby Hadley-Johnson, Secretariat 2a3

Dear Mr Philp,

Thank you for your e-mail of 10 June to the CIO - FOI website, about your Armed Forces Pension entitlement. Your e-mail has been passed to the Service Personnel and Veterans Agency in view of the Agency's responsibility for the administration of pensions, and I have been asked to reply.

Unfortunately, you have not provided sufficient information in your e-mail to ensure an accurate identification of your Service record from archives. Therefore, I have provided information of a general nature that I hope will answer your query.

Prior to 31 March 1975, servicemen or women were normally required to have completed 22 years reckonable service from the age of 18, and in the case of officers, 16 years reckonable service from the age of 21, to qualify for a pension under the Armed Forces Pension Scheme (AFPS). Those who were medically discharged from the ranks could receive a pension subject to completing a minimum of 12 years service from age 18 years, and officers were required to have served a minimum of 12 years service from age 21 years.

This changed as a consequence of the Social Security Act 1973 and the Social Security Pensions Act 1975, when Preserved Pensions (normally payable at age 60) were introduced on 6 April 1975. In order to qualify, personnel had to complete at least 5 years reckonable service from the age of 18, and have attained the age of 26. On 31 March 1978, however, the age ruling was removed, and the qualifying period was reduced to 2 years in 1988. However, it has long been the policy of successive Governments that improvements to public sector pension schemes, such as the AFPS, should not be made retrospective, and there are no plans to change this. This means that improvements such as the introduction of Preserved Pensions apply solely to personnel who served in the Armed Forces on, or after 31 March 1975.

Gratuities (one-off lump sum payments) were awarded to those who did not complete a sufficient length of service to entitle them to an immediate pension, but had completed at least nine years reckonable service as an officer, or 12 years as an other rank. Gratuities were not paid to compensate for lack of pension, but to assist the individual to settle into civilian life.

In your case, as you were discharged from the Royal Air Force before 1 April 1975, and your service from 1959 to 1971 was less than the 22 years required at that time, I am sorry to say that you are not eligible for a Preserved Pension.

I realise this will be a disappointing reply but I hope it explains the position.

Yours Sincerely

Deborah Hadley-Johnson