Eligible serviceU.K.
21.—(1) A member of a police force in England and Wales—
(a)is in eligible service; and
(b)is eligible to be an active member of this scheme.
(2) While a person is a protected member of the existing police pension scheme, the person—
(a)is not in eligible service; and
(b)is not eligible to be an active member of this scheme.
(3) For the purpose of these Regulations, a member of a police force remains in eligible service during—
(a)a career break; and
(b)any other period of unpaid leave—
(i)that does not exceed 5 years; and
(ii)during which the employment relationship continues M1.
(4) For the purpose of these Regulations, a member of a police force remains in eligible service during a period of permanent service unless during that period of permanent service P is in pensionable service in—
(a)an existing scheme M2 that relates to the armed forces or another scheme under section 1 of the Act that relates to the armed forces; or
(b)any other occupational pension scheme.