Overview

A Service Pension is awarded to:

• Officers who joined the Public Service of Malta before 15^th of January 1979 and were appointed to a pensionable office under the Pensions Ordinance (Cap. 93.).
• Members of the Police Force under the Police Act (Cap. 164.).
• Members of the Armed Forces of Malta under the Malta Armed Forces Act (Cap. 220.).
• Members of the Civil Protection under the Civil Protection Act (Cap. 411.).
• Members of Correctional Services under the Prisons Act (Cap.260.).
• Widows of public officers who held a pensionable post and who contributed to the Widows and Orphans’ Pension scheme under the Widows’ and Orphans’ Pensions Act (Cap. 58.).
• Members of Parliament under the Members of Parliament Pensions Act (Cap. 280.).
• Members of the Judiciary and Attorney General under the Members of the Judiciary (Pensions) Act (Cap. 564.).
• Secretary to the Cabinet under the Pensions Ordinance (Cap. 93.).
• Permanent Secretaries under the Pensions Ordinance (Cap. 93.).

What you’ll get

A Service Pension will be paid every month and will not be more than two-thirds (⅔) of the salary earned by the public officer.

Eligibility

General eligibility criteria:

Officers who qualify for a Service Pension are:

• Officers who joined the Public Service of Malta before 15^th January 1979 and were appointed to a pensionable office and was in Public Service for at least ten (10) years.
• Members of the Police Force, Armed Forces of Malta, Civil Protection and Correctional Services who have completed at least ten (10) years of service.
• Widows of public officers who held a pensionable post and who contributed to the Widows’ Pension scheme.
• Members of Parliament after serving more than two (2) legislatures.
• Members of the Judiciary and the Attorney General after completing ten (10) years of service.
• Secretary to the Cabinet who has at least ten (10) years of service within the Public Service of which at least one (1) term in such position.
• Permanent Secretaries who have at least ten (10) years of service within the Public Service of which at least one (1) term in such position.

Documentation required

General documentation:

• The form to be used for the award of pensions and gratuities is GP 61.
• A declaration that the individual does not have any pending disciplinary cases.

How to apply

The pension and the gratuity documents of the officer soon to retire upon reaching the pensionable age, are to be sent to the Central Registry at the Department of Social Security by the respective Department of the public officer, by not later than three (3) months before to the officer’s date of retirement.

It is to be noted that the contents in this information sheet and the Service Pensions Manual are for information purposes only and do not have any legal power.

Retention Policy for the Records that are Created and Managed by the Service Penions Unit

The Retention Policy has been approved on the 22 November 2023 by the National Archives of Malta (NAM), (Retention Policy no. REP2023-14) and the Department of Social Security. This policy will be reviewed at least every five (5) years from the date of issue to ensure that all the processes and documentation categories are still valid and relevant in view of any changes of procedures or law.  It also supersedes any retention policy that might have been implemented in the past for the same records.