Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, under what circumstances a discharge with pension would be applied to a member of the Armed Forces.

There are three different pension schemes from which a Veteran could receive an immediate pension upon discharge. Details of each are below:

1. Under AFPS 75

a) If a member of the Armed Forces leaves Service at age 55 or over and they have completed 34 years Service (as an Officer) or 37 years Service (as Other Rank), they will be entitled to a Full Career Immediate Pension paid on the date of retirement.

b) If they leave Service before age 55 and have completed at least 16 years Service (as an Officer) or 22 years Service (as Other Rank), they will be entitled to an Immediate Pension.

c) If they leave Service but have not completed the required years to receive an Immediate Pension, they will become a Deferred Member and will be entitled to a Deferred pension paid at pension benefit age. This is age 60 for Service up to and including 6th April 2006, and age 65 for Service after 6th April 2006.

d) If the member is in Regular Service and leaves the Service before age 60, they might also be eligible for an ill-health pension or Resettlement Grant.

2. Under AFPS 05

a) If a member leaves the Service at age 55 (normal pension age) or over, they will be entitled to an Immediate Pension.

b) If they leave the Service before age 55, they will become a Deferred member and will be entitled to a Deferred pension paid at age 65 (pension benefit age). They might also be eligible for:

i) Early Departure Payment (EDP). An EDP Scheme aims to retain personnel in Service through to at least age 40 and to compensate for the fact that a full career to age 55 (normal pension age) or beyond is not available to the majority of personnel. The EDP is a benefit which is entirely separate to any pension you may be entitled to and, in the Public Sector, is unique to the Armed Forces.

ii) Ill-health pension

iii) Resettlement Grant

3. Under AFPS 15

a) If a member of the Armed Forces leaves the Service at age 60 (normal pension age) or over, they will be entitled to an Immediate pension.

b) If they leave the Service before age 60 (normal pension age), they will become a Deferred member and will be entitled to a Deferred pension paid at State Pension Age. If they are in Regular Service and leave the Services before age 60, they might also be eligible for either:

i) Early Departure Payment (EDP)

ii) Ill-health pension

iii) Resettlement Grant