11th – 15th September 2023
To coincide with the annual Pension Awareness Day on 15th September this year, the Ministry of Defence is running Pension Awareness Week to provide you with clear and concise guidance on various aspects of your Armed Forces Pension. This year, we will be running an ‘Ask an Expert’ forum, where members will be able to ask questions and have them answered by a Pension Expert within MOD.
The Forces Pension Society will also be hosting two presentations during the week on AFPS 15 and retirement planning, and the White Ensign Association will also be delivering a Tri-Service briefing on Pensions. We will be releasing factsheets, videos and offering guidance on some of the most complex and frequently queried topics concerning Armed Forces Pensions.
Please see the agenda for the week below and how to find our information.
Please note: All information, including fact sheets, videos, and the link to access the Ask an Expert ahead of the event will be released on the Pension Awareness Week Defence Connect Page and are aimed at active and deferred members. Regular updates ahead of the event will also be issued on Defnet. If you are accessing this document from a non-MODnet device, please login to Defence Connect and type in ‘MOD Pension Awareness Week’. If you don’t have access to Defence connect, please contact the team at [email protected] after the week and we will send the documents to you. T&C’s apply to the Ask an Expert forum.
Monday 11th September
- Pension Awareness Week Review. This will be the third Pension Awareness Week the AFPS have run, we will provide an overview of how we have taken your comments and feedback into consideration each year and where we aim to go.
- A walkthrough of new pension products. In August, the MOD released an enhanced calculator that enables even more members to gain an approximate projection of their pension entitlement, as well as providing those who are affected by the 2015 remedy, a chance to compare their available choices. We will be releasing some guidance on how to use the calculator, as well as some guidance documents on some of our new forms.
- Ask an Expert. We have now launched our Ask an Expert on Slido (to log in, use password PAW2023). Please do send in your questions, we will be releasing the responses throughout the week. T&Cs. No personal replies will be given. Members must provide Rank, Service dates, type of Service where relevant. If the same question or similar question is asked multiple times, we will provide just one answer. If the question cannot be anonymised for an answer, we will not reply. Any pension or financial advice will not be provided.
- How well do you know your pension? A quiz will be launched on Slido testing your pension knowledge. There are some prizes up for grabs!
Tuesday 12th September
- AFPS15 Briefing. A live presentation from 12:00-13:00, delivered by the Forces Pension Society on the AFPS15. The presentation will provide an explanation of the key benefits of the scheme, including Early Departure Payment, ill health tiers and Added Pension. The session will be hosted on Teams and will open at 11.45 to allow members to join in good time. Members can access the Teams invite below.
AFPS 15 Benefits
Microsoft Teams meeting
Join on your computer, mobile app or room device
Click here to join the meeting
Meeting ID: 365 056 253 645
Passcode: eXVN5v
Download Teams | Join on the web
- AFPS15 further information. The AFPS15 is one of the most generous schemes available in the UK, providing members and their families fantastic support in retirement, with options to support those who are unable to continue in Service until Pension Age.
Wednesday 13th September
- Pension Awareness Briefing. A live presentation from 13:30 will be delivered by the White Ensign Association on the Armed Forces Pension Schemes. The briefing will be a Tri-Service presentation that will further enhance members understanding of their pension and entitlements. Members will be able to join the meeting from 13:00, more details on how to join this event can be found here.
- 2015 Remedy Information. The 2015 remedy affects who were in pensionable service on or before 31 March 2012 and on or after 1 April 2015, including those with a break in pensionable service of five years or less. We will provide a factsheet and further guidance documents on what the remedy means for those members.
Thursday 14th September
- Retirement Planning Briefing. A live presentation from 12:00-13:00, delivered by the Forces Pension Society on resettlement and retirement planning. The session will be hosted on Teams and will open at 11.45 to allow members to join in good time. Members can access the Teams invite below.
Financial Aspects of Resettlement & Retirement Planning:
Microsoft Teams meeting
Join on your computer, mobile app or room device
Click here to join the meeting
Meeting ID: 331 087 768 086
Passcode: 8C6Wt4
Download Teams | Join on the web
- Planning for Retirement and Resettlement. A series of factsheets and guidance documents will be released on the steps members should take when planning to leave Service.
Friday 15th September
- Ask an Expert. We will be releasing the rest of our Ask an Expert responses.
- How are we doing? A feedback survey will be released on Defence Connect and circulated via Single Service HR streams. We would be so grateful if you could take the time to let us know what worked well, where we can improve and how the AFPS can further support its members regarding their pensions.