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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Civil nuclear police: Working to 65 'physically impossible' | Civil nuclear police: Working to 65 'physically impossible' |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| Representatives of 1,250 armed police officers who protect UK civil nuclear sites are challenging a rule forcing them to work beyond the age of 60. | Representatives of 1,250 armed police officers who protect UK civil nuclear sites are challenging a rule forcing them to work beyond the age of 60. |
| While most UK police can retire at 60, Civil Nuclear Constabulary officers must work until 65 under a new law. | While most UK police can retire at 60, Civil Nuclear Constabulary officers must work until 65 under a new law. |
| The Civil Nuclear Police Federation says it will be "physically impossible" for officers in their mid-60s to protect the public from terrorism. | |
| It has taken the case to London's High Court to try to get the rule changed. | |
| A government spokesperson said the Civil Nuclear Police Authority - which oversees the Civil Nuclear Constabulary - was "considering how to implement changes and reforms". | |
| The changes were brought in as part of the Public Service Pensions Act. | |
| Legal challenge | Legal challenge |
| The standard retirement age for almost all police in the UK is 60, with many able to leave on a full pension in their 50s. | |
| But under the new laws affecting public service workers - due to take effect next April - Civil Nuclear Constabulary (CNC) officers will have to work until they are 65, and eventually 68, to receive their pension. | |
| The federation believes this is due to a legal anomaly, and will trying to persuade the High Court that its officers should be exempt from the retirement age rise. | |
| Analysis | Analysis |
| By Danny Shaw, BBC home affairs correspondent | By Danny Shaw, BBC home affairs correspondent |
| Unlike other forces that are in the headlines nearly every day - the Met, West Midlands and Greater Manchester Police for example - you don't hear a lot about the Civil Nuclear Constabulary. | Unlike other forces that are in the headlines nearly every day - the Met, West Midlands and Greater Manchester Police for example - you don't hear a lot about the Civil Nuclear Constabulary. |
| Much of its work goes unseen, guarding nuclear sites in remote corners of the UK and protecting material in transit. | Much of its work goes unseen, guarding nuclear sites in remote corners of the UK and protecting material in transit. |
| However, it is vital work, particularly at a time when the terrorism threat level is graded "severe" with an attack assessed as "highly likely". | However, it is vital work, particularly at a time when the terrorism threat level is graded "severe" with an attack assessed as "highly likely". |
| That's one reason why its officers are incensed - and baffled - by pension changes which mean they'd have to work until at least 65 before retiring. | That's one reason why its officers are incensed - and baffled - by pension changes which mean they'd have to work until at least 65 before retiring. |
| The problem, it seems, is that when the new rules were being drawn up under the coalition government, the CNC, which is the responsibility of the energy minister, wasn't treated the same as other forces, which were permitted by the home secretary at the time, Theresa May, to maintain a retirement age of 60. | The problem, it seems, is that when the new rules were being drawn up under the coalition government, the CNC, which is the responsibility of the energy minister, wasn't treated the same as other forces, which were permitted by the home secretary at the time, Theresa May, to maintain a retirement age of 60. |
| The federation says its officers have the most physically demanding role in the police service and will not be able to maintain their standards of fitness and weapons proficiency into their 60s. | The federation says its officers have the most physically demanding role in the police service and will not be able to maintain their standards of fitness and weapons proficiency into their 60s. |
| 'No sense' | 'No sense' |
| Chief executive Nigel Dennis said it was "regrettable that we have been forced to take legal action". | Chief executive Nigel Dennis said it was "regrettable that we have been forced to take legal action". |
| "As a police force the CNC is the fittest body in the UK because of our role in protecting nuclear assets and our more recently acquired role of protecting the wider public against terrorist outrages," he said. | "As a police force the CNC is the fittest body in the UK because of our role in protecting nuclear assets and our more recently acquired role of protecting the wider public against terrorist outrages," he said. |
| "It makes no sense that we should be saddled through inappropriate legislation with a retirement age which we have little or no hope of reaching. | "It makes no sense that we should be saddled through inappropriate legislation with a retirement age which we have little or no hope of reaching. |
| "Neither can I believe that the public will feel protected if eventually we have aggressively armed police officers in their mid-60s being deployed against terrorists." | "Neither can I believe that the public will feel protected if eventually we have aggressively armed police officers in their mid-60s being deployed against terrorists." |