More than 12,000 people have signed a new online petition calling for ambulance workers to be allowed to access their NHS Pension Scheme from the age of 60 without having their payments reduced. The proposal would bring them into line with police officers and firefighters.
The petition, created by Barbara Elizabeth Whitehead and posted on the Petitions Parliament website, has passed the 10,000-signature threshold, meaning it is now entitled to a written response from the UK Government.
Current pension rules for ambulance staff
Under the 2015 NHS Pension Scheme, a member's normal pension age is linked to their State Pension age, or age 65 if that is later. This is the age at which they can normally take their pension without a reduction for receiving it early.
This differs from the pension arrangements for police officers and firefighters. The 2015 Police Pension Scheme has a normal pension age of 60, while the reformed Firefighters' Pension Scheme also uses 60.
Petition argues for equal treatment
The petition argues ambulance staff should be treated in the same way because of the pressures and dangers involved in frontline emergency work.
The petition states: "Lower the pension age for ambulance service workers under the NHS scheme to 60, in line with the Police and Firefighters.
"Ambulance staff have the stresses and face the same dangers as police and fire fighters. They do not have the privilege of lower pension ages despite being front line workers."
It adds Parliament should bring emergency service workers into line on pensions and pay more widely, highlighting the reliance placed on ambulance, police and fire personnel during accidents, major incidents and other emergencies.
How the NHS Pension Scheme retirement age works
The normal pension age for members of the 2015 NHS Pension Scheme is the same as their State Pension age, or 65 if that is later. The State Pension age is currently 66, however, it began a phased rise to 67 in April 2026 and is due to be completed by April 2028.
NHS Pension Scheme members can choose to take their benefits before their normal pension age once they have reached the scheme's minimum pension age, but doing so will normally result in their benefits being reduced because they are being paid for longer.
Police officers covered by the 2015 Police Pension Scheme have a normal pension age of 60. They can currently choose to take their pension from age 55, although benefits are reduced when taken before 60. The normal pension age under the 2015 Firefighters' Pension Scheme is also 60.
The difference stems from the reforms to public service pensions introduced from 2015. Most reformed public service schemes linked their normal pension age to State Pension age, while police, firefighters and members of the armed forces were given a normal pension age of 60, reflecting the particular demands of those occupations.
The petition is open for signatures until October 2. At 100,000 signatures of support it would be considered for debate in Parliament by the Petitions Committee.
