What happens to your Civil Service pension when you leave depends on your scheme, service length, age and leaving route. You may keep deferred benefits, receive a refund or transfer value in some circumstances, claim retirement benefits, or receive scheme-specific exit options.
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Do not assume the pension disappears
Where the scheme conditions are met, benefits can remain preserved for payment later. Shorter service may lead to different options.
Your leaving statement should explain the position and any action or deadline.
Transfers need separate care
A correctly handled move to another Civil Service department should preserve pension continuity through the transfer process. Do not resign where a staff transfer applies.
Moving outside the Civil Service may allow a transfer to another pension arrangement, subject to scheme and legal rules.
Retirement and exit are different
Ordinary resignation, retirement, ill-health retirement and Civil Service Compensation Scheme exits can produce very different outcomes.
Obtain the correct scheme guidance for your route.
Civil Service departments use different contracts, policies and approval routes. Check your own contract, intranet guidance, scheme documents and any letter you have received before acting.
Members can unlock the pension-leaving checklist, deferred-benefit questions, transfer and retirement comparisons, record checks and a timeline for preventing missed forms or incorrect service data.
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