Pensions reform has been a contentious issue for forces in the United Kingdom for years but we are yet to reach the levels of antipathy being currently seen in Brazil.

Hundreds of Brazilian Federal Police union members have been involved in violent clashes in the country’s Congress over a proposed increase in retirement age to 65.

Tear gas and riot gear were used by the Congressional Police to drive back police protestors over the weekend in Brasilia.

The President Michel Temer is in the process of trying to balance the country’s overdrawn public accounts and reforms to public service benefits form a large part of this.

In a statement the Lower Chamber of Deputies said around 500 demonstrators, most of whom were off duty police officers, tried to invade the building in which the reform bill was due to be debated but were repelled without injury.

The controversial changes would have seen officers retire at 65, as opposed to the previous age of 54, and officers continued with the protest despite promises to reduce the new age to 60.

The federal police unions behind the protest said the bill failed to reward the risk involved in police work, according to Reuters.

The situation may not be perfect at the moment for police pensions in the UK but at least we are some way off from invading the Palace of Westminster to protest.