How we write — editorial policy

A mistake in a pension figure wrecks somebody's monthly budget. That is why this page — which almost no site bothers to have — exists: the whole method is open, so you can check it.

Five rules for every page

1. Every figure carries its source. Wherever a rate, a limit or a date is printed, the order/memorandum number and date go with it. The page does not say "you get this much"; it says "this order says you get this much". If the rule changes, the page is out of date — not wrong.
2. Structure and numbers kept apart. How a rule works (the stable part) is written in the page; the rates that change sit in one file, rates.json, dated and public. No page hides a rate inside itself.
3. A "last checked" date on every page — checked, not published. If the date looks old, trust that page exactly as much as you would trust an old newspaper cutting.
4. What has not been verified does not get written — or it is clearly marked as pending verification. Presenting a guess as a fact is not allowed here.
5. Estimate and entitlement kept distinct, everywhere. A calculator gives an estimate built from the rules; the entitlement is the PPO. That line sits under every calculator.

When a rule changes

1. rates.json gets the new rate, the new date and the reference to the new order — the calculators run on the new rate from that moment.
2. Affected pages are re-checked and their "last checked" date changes.
3. The change becomes a dated entry in "What changed" on the home page.

What happens when we get something wrong

Correction first, admission second — in public. Every correction is recorded on the corrections page with the date: what was wrong, what it now says, and who reported it (named with their consent). Hiding a mistake is exactly what destroys trust in this subject.

If you spot a mistake, tell us — readers here include people with far more experience than us, and their letters are the best check this site has.

What we do not do

• Nothing touching the security of the armed forces; no address of any military station or office — the full rule is here.
• No language that sells fear or urgency — "act now or your pension will stop" will not be printed here.
• No opinion on questions beyond us (legal disputes, tax planning, individual cases) — we will only point you to the right door.