The pension codes for those retiring this year are on the MOD website. They are worked out on spot rates on the pay scales for each rank (which is why everyone in the same rank leaving in the same year with the same length of service gets the same rate of pension) so, as there have been no pay rises for some time, they have not changed. This year's pay raise was limited to entry grades, so I doubt there will be a new pension code this year either.
Once a pension is in payment, it increases in line with the agreed inflation factor which, now, is the September rate of the Consumer Prices Index. That was 5.2% for September last year so that is the rate that will be applied this September. If you left last year, remember that the first year's increase is proportionate - so, if you left last April you will get the full amount, if you left in October you will get about half the increase and if you left at the end of March you will not get an increase in April.
The freeze in the pension codes is causing a 'pension trough'. This means that someone leaving in earlier years is getting more than someone leaving now because the pension in payment has risen by the inflation measure year on year while the pension codes have not. To find out more about pension troughs visit our website (
Forces Pension Society - Fighting for the Forces and their Families) and read the FPS leaflet on the issue.