Which type of pension do I have?
People who joined the Regular Armed Forces before 6th April 2005, automatically joined the Armed Forces Pension Scheme 1975 (AFPS 75). This scheme was closed to new members from 6th April 2005 and those who joined the Regular Armed Forces on or after this date, or accepted an offer to transfer from AFPS 75, would have automatically joined the Armed Forces Pension Scheme 2005 (AFPS 05). Also on 6th April 2005, people starting or renewing a Full Time Reserve Service (FTRS) contract were eligible for membership of the Reserve Forces Pension Scheme 2005 (RFPS 05).
Service personnel who were members of AFPS 75, AFPS 05 or RFPS 05 and under a certain age (45 years old for Regulars and age 50 for Reservists) on 1st April 2012, were automatically transferred to AFPS 15 on 1st April 2015, and from that date AFPS 05 and RFPS 05 were closed to new members. Personnel who were transferred into AFPS 15 retained accrued rights from their legacy pension scheme, which means that pension earned up to 31st March 2015 in their legacy scheme cannot be taken away.
All personnel who joined the Regular Armed Forces and Reserve Forces from 1st April 2015 became members of AFPS 15. Under the AFPS 15 remedy (McCloud), on 1 April 2022 all serving Regular and Reserve personnel who were allowed to remain in their legacy scheme, due to the transitional protection arrangements, became members of AFPS 15 and all legacy schemes (AFPS 75, AFPS 05 and RFPS 05) closed.