Membership benefits

As well as supporting members at work across the civil service and related areas, we offer a membership benefits service.

PCS Plus gives you access to a wide range of benefits, fantastic savings and things to do in your spare time.

There is also a free will service. If you are In England or Wales it is provided by BBH Legal Services. If you are based in Scotland you can complete the form on the Thompsons Solicitors' website or in Northern Ireland, you can apply by completing the PDF form. 

You can also join the PCS Credit Union for savings and low interest loans.

After being a PCS member for six months you are eligible for a death in-service benefit. You can nominate one or more beneficiaries by logging into your membership account. From 1 January 2026 the rate is £2648.40.

Personal and domestic legal helpline

Call 01172 442794 for legal advice on a range of issues, excluding employment or personal injury.
The lines are open Monday to Thursday: 8am – 8pm, Friday: 9am – 8pm and Saturday & Sunday: 8am –2pm. We offer a range of services and your spouse, partner and dependent children can also use the helpline.

Personal injury
As a PCS member you can access our personal injury scheme which covers members and their partners who have an accident, injury or suffer ill-health or experience medical negligence within the UK. Phone our helpline on 0800 328 3255.
 
Financial advice

You are entitled to a no obligation complimentary initial consultation with Quilter Financial Advisers. To arrange your initial consultation contact [email protected] or phone 08000 85 85 90.

Free debt advice

You are entitled to free confidential advice on debt from PayPlan. PayPlan offers comprehensive guidance on a wide range of practical, long term debt solutions. Contact PayPlan on 0800 716239 and quote PCS or visit the Payplan website.

Breast cancer care 0808 800 6000
Domestic violence 0808 2000 247

Your PCS membership entitles you to £5,000 of free cover which pays out if you should die as a result of an accident.

  • Cover lasts for 12 months
  • Annually renewable and always free
  • Guaranteed acceptance for UK residents aged 18-69

Register for the free cover

Union Insurance Services aim to provide PCS members and their families with access to greater financial security through a range of insurances that protect against the financial impact of major life traumas.

So far more than 2.5 million union members have benefitted from their products and over £45 million has been paid out in claims.

Life Cover

Life insurance provides a cash lump sum payout when you die, money to help support your loved ones at a very difficult time.

  • Up to £50,000 cash lump sum if you die during the policy term
  • No medical & no blood tests
  • For UK residents aged 18-64

Accident Protection Plan

The Accident Protection Plan pays out £150,000 cash lump sum to your loved ones if you die as the result of an accident – plus £300 for every 24 hours you spend in hospital as the result of an accident. You can make multiple hospitalisation claims up to £54,000, a maximum of 180 days during the lifetime of your policy. There is guaranteed acceptance for UK residents aged 18-69.

50+ Personal Accident Plan

The 50+ Personal Accident Plan covers you for up to £6,000 for fractures, burns and dislocations, helping make life more comfortable when you need it most. You can use the money however you see best to make your recovery quick and stress free. The policy also covers you for up to £20,000 if you were to die as a result of an accident. Cover is available until age 85 and guaranteed acceptance for UK residents aged 50-79.

Over 50s Life Cover

We can’t be certain of many things in life, but this cover can offer some reassuring guarantees: a cash lump sum for your loved ones when you pass away worth up to £25,000 (after the qualifying period) and guaranteed acceptance for UK residents aged 50-80. Plus - in a world where everything seems to be getting more expensive, your premiums will stay exactly the same.

Find out more about the Over 50s Life Cover.

Income Protection

You might have sick pay, but what happens if that runs out whilst you are still recovering from an accident or sickness? Income Protection Cover pays you a monthly tax-free income which can be used to pay your bills, your mortgage or your rent. This policy will pay out until you're able to return to work or you reach the end of your 12 month benefit period, whichever is sooner.

  • Cover if accident or sickness stops you working
  • Up to 50% of your monthly income
  • Simple-to-set up cover with no medical questions for UK residents aged 18-60.

PCS is an Introducer Appointed Representative of Union Insurance Services. Union Insurance Services is a trading name of Union Income Benefit Holdings Ltd (UIB) who are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority to distribute non-investment insurance products, register number 307575. This can be checked on the FCA website: www.fca.org.uk. Registered in England No.03877610 Registered Office: UIB, 4th Floor, 7/10 Chandos Street, London W1G 9DQ.

Stress counselling and wellbeing

The Health Assured wellbeing support service is available 24-hours a day through the Wisdom app – designed to improve your mental and physical health through a range of wellbeing resources and interactive features. The service is available to all members of PCS including students and retired members. It provides wellness and wellbeing tools and resources such as health checks, breathing exercises, webinars, fitness, and live chat and video with Health Assured wellbeing counsellors. 
You can access this through PCS Plus.

Vision Express

Members are able to access vouchers for the following discounts through the Vision Express website:

  • Free eye test when you spend £50
  • 30% off a single pair of adult glasses when you spend £50
  • 30% off contact lenses discount applies to the first three months of contact lenses when signing up to a contact lens subscription.
BHSF health cash plan

We have negotiated a health cash plan with BHSF where you pay a monthly premium and can then claim cash back on dental, optical and therapy treatments. Phone 0121 454 3601 for details.

PCS has arranged exclusively priced conveyancing for all freehold properties through solicitors BBH Legal Services Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Thompsons Solicitors LLP, with offices in most major cities in England, Scotland and Wales.

For more details in England and Wales call 0800 051 4218, and don't forget to mention you are a PCS member. In Scotland call 0800 089 1331.

Ordinary and associate members can apply to the benevolent fund after 6 months of continuous membership to assist with financial hardship.   

Applications are considered on an individual basis and reviewed weekly.  Awards up to £500 are available to those in acute financial difficulty but cannot be used for the following:   

  • Personal debt (credit cards, loans, etc)
  • Medical fees
  • Education and legal costs
  • Strike action.

To request an application form, email [email protected] and put "Benevolent fund application" in the subject line. Please allow a maximum of 10 working days for a response.

Criminal legal insurance offers protection for PCS members who work closely with the public, particularly in NCA, Met Police, IOPC and GCG. It provides affordable legal representation in the event of an arrest/investigation arising from issues relating to work.

It costs £7.60 a month for 24 hour protection including on and off duty.

To apply for criminal legal insurance complete the online application or call 0345 209 4465.

While you are on full pay, your membership subscriptions will continue as normal. However, there may be times during your employment when you need to apply for a waiver to your subscription payments. Examples are:

  • When you go on maternity leave and your pay decreases
  • When you take a career break
  • When you’ve been off sick and your pay reduces
  • When you go on carer’s leave

Once you are on reduced or nil pay, the support centre can apply a waiver to your account.

How to apply for a waiver

A waiver is only valid if there is an active direct debit on your record. It is important that you do not cancel this with your bank.

If you pay your subscriptions by direct debit, your employer will not advise PCS of any changes to your payment. Therefore a waiver will only be applied if requested by a member, or by a branch official on a member’s behalf.

A waiver means we will suspend your payments to PCS for up to 6 months, but your membership will still continue and you will still be entitled to all of the usual benefits of membership.

At the end of the waiver period, your PCS subscriptions will automatically start again. If your circumstances mean you need a waiver longer than 6 months, you can request an extension at the end of each 6 month period. When we process your waiver, we will tell you when you next need to get in contact with us if you need to advise that the waiver is still required.

To request a waiver, you can;

When emailing, please include the following information -

  • Your name:
  • Your membership number:
  • Your National Insurance number:
  • The reason you need a waiver:
  • What dates you need the waiver to start and finish:

You may also request a waiver via PCS Digital.