PR 292: NEWS FROM POA: ON ‘WORLD STRESS AWARENESS DAY’ PRISON OFFICERS DEMAND CHANGE TO 'COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE' RETIREMENT AGE

The results of a survey of the UKs Prison Officers has called for immediate action to address the unjust retirement age of staff working in dangerous, overcrowded and understaffed jails across the UK. 

Pension reforms implemented in 2015, saw Police, Firefighters, and members of the Armed Forces granted a normal pension age of 60. This was in recognition of the operational demands of their role, but Prison Officers were overlooked and remained under the civil service pension scheme that linked their pension age to the state retirement age (currently 67, potentially rising to 68 or even 70). 

Prison Officers face very significant physical, mental and operational demands, but lack the same pension protections as other uniformed services. This creates a situation where officers may be unable to continue working until state retirement age due to the demanding nature of their work whilst facing actuarial reductions if they access their pension early. 

The POA recently surveyed its members on these issues resulting in one of the biggest ever responses to any POA member consultation. 

The results show that: 

92.85% of respondents believe that a combination of physical and mental health challenges, increased violence, risk to personal safety, stress and pressure are the main challenges staff face when expected to work until they are 68. 

86.69% of Prison Officers surveyed are worried they may have to leave their job before retirement age due to physical or mental health challenges. 

91.33% of respondents said asking Prison Officers to work to 68 is unfair when other uniformed services such as the Police, Fire Service and Armed forces have a normal pension age of 60.

73.8% of respondents said they do not believe they will be able to work until they are 68.  

98.85% of Prison Officers surveyed believe the UK and devolved Governments should be working together to ensure that the Normal Pension Age for prison officers is 60.

Steve Gillan, General Secretary of the POA said: 

“Today on ‘World Stress Awareness Day’ the POA is launching the ‘68 Is Too Late’ Report into the retirement age for Prison officers. Asking Prison Officers to work in an overcrowded, understaffed and increasingly violent prison system until they are 68 is completely unacceptable, it is unjust and it is a major cause of stress amongst Prison Officers.

The POA’s ‘68 Is Too Late’ campaign is not calling for special treatment, we are seeking practical solutions - not enhanced payments, but rule changes or a retained right that would allow Prison Officers who cannot work until state retirement age to retire with dignity and be able to access their existing pension without reductions. This would correct the injustice that has prevailed since 2015.”

Ends

 

Note to editors:

You can read the full report here:

https://www.poauk.org.uk/media/2793/poa-uk-68-is-too-late-report-2025.pdf

Mark Fairhurst, National Chair of the POA, will be available for interviews on the morning of Wednesday the 5th of November. To arrange an interview with Mark please contact Nicola Hubert at nicola@poauk.org.uk

 

For further information, contact:

POA Press Office                                                  020 8803 0255 Option 7

Attachments

• POA UK - 68 is too late Report 2025.pdf

  3.27 Mb, pdf