If you're on AFPS 15 and planning to sign off around the 18-year mark expecting an Early Departure Payment, stop and check your numbers. On 22 September 2026 the Forces Pension Society corrected one of its help sheets, which had said AFPS 15 members qualify for an EDP after 18 years' service. The correct figure is 20 years.

The 20/40 Point

To get an EDP under AFPS 15, you need to have done both of these:

  • Served at least 20 years as a Regular
  • Reached age 40 (and leave before age 60)

The MOD calls this the 20/40 EDP point. Hit one without the other and you don't qualify. If you've had a break in service of more than 5 years, the clock resets and you'll need another 20 years from when you rejoin.

The 18-year figure is where the confusion comes from: under the older AFPS 05 scheme, the qualifying point is 18 years' service and age 40. Most people serving today are on AFPS 15.

What the EDP Pays

  • Tax-free lump sum of 2.25 times your annual deferred pension, paid when you leave.
  • Taxable monthly income worth 34% of your annual deferred pension, going up by 0.85% of your deferred pension for each year you serve beyond the 20/40 point.
  • From age 55, the income goes up each year with CPI.
  • At State Pension Age the EDP income stops and your deferred pension becomes payable. You have to claim it from DBS Veterans UK, it doesn't start automatically.

What Happens If You Leave Before 20 Years

No EDP. You keep the pension you've built up, but it stays preserved until State Pension Age. No lump sum on the way out, no monthly income bridging the gap. For a lot of people, those last two years are worth a serious amount of money.

What to Do

  • Check which scheme you're on and your exact service dates on JPA.
  • Get a pension forecast before you put your notice in. Don't rely on a mate's maths, or on any single help sheet.
  • If you've already made plans around 18 years on AFPS 15, revisit them now.
  • When you do leave, ask for the working on your pension and EDP and keep it. Mistakes can come back years later: see the pension overpayment demands.

Sources

Armed Forces Pension Awareness 2026 — Forces Pension Society

Armed Forces Pension Scheme 2015: Your Pension Scheme Explained — GOV.UK (PDF)