Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of lowering the the retirement age for prison officers.

We are aware of the POA campaign for a reduced prison officer pension age.

We recognise the unique and challenging role that prison officers play in protecting the public and reducing reoffending and that pension age is an important issue for prison staff and the POA. My officials have met with the POA on this complex issue and a range of other matters that are important to the POA. It is right that we take the time to consider the issue carefully.

Prison officers are members of the Civil Service Pension scheme (CSPS), and the normal pension age (at which unreduced benefits can be taken) is linked to their state pension age. The CSPS is a defined benefit scheme; a pension for life without investment uncertainties. It has one of the lowest employee contribution rates across the public sector, which is lower than police officers and firefighters, and a significant employer contribution of 28.97% (since 1 April 2023).

Like most public sector pension schemes, those in the CSPS can seek to retire at any time after reaching Minimum Normal Pension Age, which is currently set at age 55 (increases to 57 from 2028).