Military Pension Calculator UK — Discovery Notes

JTBD

“How much will my forces pension be when I leave?” / “What is my EDP lump sum and monthly income?” / “Should I commute pension for a tax-free lump sum?” / “Am I eligible for Early Departure Payment?” / “What death benefits does my family get if I die in service?”

Target Audience

• Regular armed forces personnel (Army, RAF, Royal Navy, Royal Marines) planning career exit
• Service leavers approaching 20-year point considering EDP vs continuing
• Veterans checking deferred pension entitlements
• Spouses and partners of serving personnel wanting to understand benefits
• Military financial advisers and unit welfare officers
• Reservists checking pension entitlements

Calculator (3 Tabs)

Tab 1: My Forces Pension

• Inputs: Annual pensionable salary (basic pay), years of qualifying service, scheme (AFPS 2015 / AFPS 2005)
• Outputs: Annual and monthly pension at NPA, death-in-service benefits (4x pay lump sum + 62.5% spouse pension), employer contribution (73.5%), EDP eligibility check, resettlement grant if 12+ years
• Key insight: AFPS is non-contributory (0% employee contribution). MOD pays 73.5%. AFPS 2015 = 1/47th CARE, NPA 67. AFPS 2005 = 1/70th final salary + 3x lump sum, NPA 65.

Tab 2: Early Departure Payment (EDP)

• Inputs: Salary, years of service (min 20), age at departure (min 40), scheme
• Outputs: EDP lump sum (2.25x deferred pension for AFPS 15), monthly bridging income (34% + 0.85%/year over 20), full pension from NPA, total package value
• Key insight: EDP is the military equivalent of an early retirement package. Tax-free lump sum on day 1, plus monthly income until NPA. If not EDP-eligible, shows Resettlement Grant (12+ years) or deferred pension only.

Tab 3: Commutation (Lump Sum Trade-Off)

• Inputs: Projected annual pension, commutation percentage (max 25%), commutation factor (~12:1), NPA age
• Outputs: Tax-free lump sum, reduced pension, break-even analysis (years to recoup), lifetime comparison at 10/15/20/25/30 years
• Key insight: Break-even at ~12 years. If you live past NPA + 12, full pension was better. Tax-free status of lump sum may favour commutation for higher-rate taxpayers.

Key Data (Verified March 2026)

Key Legal Basis

• Armed Forces Pension Scheme 2015 Regulations (SI 2014/2336) — AFPS 15 rules
• Armed Forces Pension Scheme 2005 (SI 2005/438) — AFPS 05 rules
• Armed Forces Early Departure Payments Scheme Regulations 2014 (SI 2014/2328) — EDP rules
• Public Service Pensions Act 2013 — framework for all public sector schemes
• The Public Service Pensions (Valuations and Employer Cost Cap) Directions 2023 — GAD valuation basis
• McCloud remedy — Public Service Pensions and Judicial Offices Act 2022

SEO Potential

• Keyword: “military pension calculator” — high volume, transactional
• Keyword: “AFPS 2015 pension calculator” — medium volume, high intent
• Keyword: “armed forces EDP calculator” — medium volume, high intent
• Keyword: “military pension commutation” — informational, moderate volume
• Keyword: “forces pension early departure payment” — long-tail, high intent
• Snippet chance: “How much is my armed forces pension?” (accrual rate + CARE explanation)
• Snippet chance: “Is the military pension non-contributory?” (0% employee contribution)
• Snippet chance: “What is the EDP lump sum?” (2.25x deferred pension)

Related Calculators (Internal Links — /uk/ only)

• /uk/pension-calculator — General UK pension projection
• /uk/pension-drawdown-calculator — Flexible drawdown modelling
• /uk/pension-lump-sum-tax-calculator — Lump sum tax calculation
• /uk/pension-death-benefits-calculator — Death benefits including April 2027 IHT
• /uk/workplace-pension-calculator — Workplace DC pension contributions
• /uk/state-pension-age-calculator — State Pension Age lookup (affects NPA)

Sources (Verified March 2026)

• MOD — AFPS 2015 Your Pension Scheme Explained (January 2024): https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6596b527614fa2000df3a8ee/20240104_-_AFPS_15_Your_Scheme_Explained.pdf
• MOD — AFPS 2005 Your Pension Scheme Explained (July 2020): https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/911026/FINAL_DRAFT_-_AFPS_05_Your_Scheme_Explained.pdf
• Forces Pension Society — The benefits of AFPS 2015: https://forcespensionsociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/The-benefits-of-AFPS15.pdf
• Forces Pension Society — EDP technical comparison: https://forcespensionsociety.org/2021/11/early-departure-payments-a-technical-comparison/
• Forces Pension Society — Indexation & Revaluation 2025: https://forcespensionsociety.org/2025/02/indexation-revaluation-2025/
• GOV.UK — Armed forces pensions: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/pensions-and-compensation-for-veterans
• GOV.UK — AFPS future pension provision from 1 April 2022: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/armed-forces-pension-scheme-future-pension-provision-from-1-april-2022
• Armed Forces Pension Scheme Annual Accounts 2023-24: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/66977e29a3c2a28abb50d0d1/Armed_Forces_Pension_Scheme_annual_accounts_2023_to_2024.pdf
• The Armed Forces Early Departure Payments Scheme Regulations 2014 (SI 2014/2328): https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2014/2328/made
• Discover My Benefits (MOD): https://discovermybenefits.mod.gov.uk/raf/your-pay-and-pension/armed-forces-pension-scheme-15/
• Forces Pension Society — McCloud Sitrep: https://forcespensionsociety.org/2026/02/mccloud-sitrep/