The majority of prison officers in Scotland feel their retirement age of 68 is unfair compared with other uniformed services who can retire earlier.
A survey of more than 1,167 prison officers who are members of the Scotland branch of The Professional Trades Union for Prison, Correctional and Secure Psychiatric Workers (POA) found that 92% strongly agreed it was unfair to make them work until they reached 68 years of age before they could draw their state pension, when similar uniformed workers including police officers, firefighters and the armed forces have a pension age of 60.
In 2011, a review of public service pensions by Lord Hutton of Furness concluded that a pension age of 60 was appropriate for uniformed services to reflect the nature of this work. However, prison officers were not on the list of uniformed workers.
Retirement age
POA’s ’68 is too late’ report says: “To any outside observer, a clear error was made in not listing prison officers but when this was pointed out to UK ministers they doubled down on the mistake and have tried to claim that 68 is an ‘appropriate’ age for prison officers to retire as prisons are a ‘controlled environment’.
“Although justice is a devolved matter to the Scottish Government, prison staff are members of the Civil Service Pension Scheme, which is a reserved matter to the UK government.”
Its survey found nine in 10 did not think they would be able to work as a prison officer until 68. Ninety-five per cent thought they would have to leave their job before the retirement age because of mental and physical health challenges.
Almost all (99%) felt prison officers should have the option to retire at 60 without financial detriment to their pension. The same proportion felt the UK and Scottish governments should work together to make this the normal pension age for those in the role.
Phil Fairlie, assistant general secretary of the POA said: “Rising prisoner numbers, understaffing and increasing levels of violence against staff from an ever more complex and challenging prisoner population is increasing the toll on our members. Expecting people to work in such a challenging and stressful environment until almost their 70th year is completely unrealistic, unsafe, and unfair.”
Prison officer retirement age will be debated in the Scottish Parliament tomorrow (18 April). A motion submitted by Pauline McNeil MSP calls upon the Scottish and UK governments to enter talks with the Prison Officers Association to discuss how to bring about changes to the retirement rules to provide an option to access their pension at 60.
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Fairlie said: “We are urging all of the political parties to support the 68 is too late campaign. With a general election looming we now want to see that support reflected in a commitment in their manifestos to a retirement age of 60 for all prison officers.”
