Members Section

This section of the site is intended for scheme members to find out more about the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS), to get scheme information about the LGPS and allow members to view their pension records online.

If you wish to view your pension record you will first of all need to request a PIN, to do this go to the online records page and follow the instructions.

Latest Changes to the LGPS

Aggregation of membership for New Joiners and members with deferred benefits

Until 1 October 2010 New Joiners to the LGPS could only opt to transfer in deferred benefits relating to scheme membership directly preceding the current employment. From 1 October 2010, new joiners can now opt to aggregate all of their previous membership. They have 12 months from joining to initiate the process by requesting an inter fund transfer from the previous fund(s).

Last Chance to aggregate for existing scheme members

Existing members, even those who have previously turned down the opportunity to aggregate on rejoining, will be able to make an option to aggregate up to 30 September 2011. Once this date has passed no new options outside the 12 month limit can be accepted without employer consent. Please contact the pensions section as soon as possible if you have deferred benefits you may want to transfer.

Should I aggregate my previous membership?

The benefits of aggregation (bringing all of your previous LGPS membership into your current fund) will depend on a number of factors including your pensionable pay. Information on the factors that a member needs to take into account is available in the document ‘Options if you have previous LGPS benefits’ (Word - 461KB)

2011/12 Tax Restrictions and aggregation of benefits

Under HM Revenue and Customs rules, if the value of your pension savings increases in any one year by more than the Annual Allowance of £50,000 you may have to pay a tax charge.

If you join your benefits together this may result in an increase in the total value of your pension savings in the year, especially if your new job is better paid, and so may impact on whether the Annual Allowance tax charge affects you. The greater your membership in your old job and the greater the increase in pay between your old and new job, the more the value of your LGPS pension savings are likely to increase.

However, you may be able to carry forward unused Annual Allowance from the last three tax years. This means that even if the value of your pension savings increase by more than £50,000 in a tax year you may not be liable to the Annual Allowance tax charge. To carry forward unused Annual Allowance from an earlier year you must have been a member of a tax registered pension scheme in that year.

Most people will not be affected by the Annual Allowance tax charge because the value of their pension savings will not increase in a tax year by more than £50,000 or, if it does, they are likely to have unused allowance from previous tax years that can be carried forward.

Further information on the Annual Allowance including examples of calculation is available in the document ‘Changes to Tax Controls on Pensions Savings’ (Word - 462KB)

LGPS (Miscellaneous) Regulations 2010

The LGPS (Miscellaneous) Regulations 2010 were laid before Parliament 25th August 2010 and come into force on 30th September 2010. They make a number of amendments to the LGPS Regulations. Many are minor corrections or updates but there are four major developments. Those major changes are:

• Rejoining deferred members can now aggregate all LGPS deferred benefits not just the membership accrued in their immediately preceding local government employment
• There is a 12 month window for active members to bring in membership they were previously prohibited from aggregating
• Pension credit member benefits are now payable from age 60 with reductions
• There is an early payment option from 55 for suspended Tier 3 Ill-health retirees

Aggregation of deferred benefits

Currently new joiners to the LGPS can only opt to transfer in deferred benefits relating to scheme membership directly preceding the current employment. From 30.09.2010, new joiners can now opt to aggregate all of their previous membership. They have 12 months from joining to initiate the process by requesting an inter fund transfer from the previous fund(s).

Existing members, even those who have previously turned down the opportunity to aggregate on rejoining, will be able to make an option to aggregate up to 30.9.2011. Once this date has passed no new options outside the 12 month limit can be accepted without employer consent.

The benefits of aggregation (bringing all of your previous LGPS membership into your current fund) will depend on a number of factors including your pensionable pay. Information on the factors that a member needs to take into account is available in the document ‘Options if you have previous LGPS benefits’ (PDF 49KB - opens new window).

Please contact the pensions section as soon as possible if you have deferred benefits you may want to transfer.

Members can now choose to pay Additional Survivor Benefit Contributions (ASBCs), so that any period of their active membership before 6th April 1988 can be taken into account in the calculation of the benefit to be paid to their surviving nominated cohabiting partner.

Members may buy back all their pre 6 April 1988 membership or a number of whole years, not to exceed that period. The buy back is paid for by additional pension contributions and the additional percentage payable for each year bought back depends on the gender of the member and their nominated partner, the member’s age and the number of years over which they elect to pay. This option is time limited and an election must be made before 31st March 2011. Members interested in buying back should contact the LPFA.

Pension credits payable from age 60

This amendment extends the rights of individuals who have been awarded a share of retirement benefit following their divorce from a member of the LGPS.

Previously, pension credits could only be paid to members at their 65th birthday (unless they were suffering from serious ill-health). They are now allowed to take them from age 60 with full actuarial reductions, i.e. a male member taking them at 60 would receive a 24% reduction to his pension and a 12% reduction to any lump sum payable.

Pension credit members are not allowed to commute pension in order to increase their lump sum but may compound trivial pensions.

This regulation has been backdated to 6th April 2009, meaning that pension credit members who reached 60 prior to, or since that date may elect to have their pension put into payment from their 60th birthday, or from 6th April 2009, whichever is the earliest. If this applies to you please contact the pensions section.

Early payment of 3rd Tier Ill Health

A member who has had Tier 3 ill health retirement benefits, which have been suspended on review or after 3 years, is entitled to their retirement pension at age 65. Such members can now access their deferred benefits from age 60 or from age 55 with employer permission. An actuarial reduction will be applied to the benefits in accordance with Government Actuary guidance.

This ensures that members with suspended ill-health benefits are afforded the same capacity for release of those benefits before age 65 as normal deferred members of the Scheme.

This provision is effective from 1st October 2008 which was the end of a period of transitional protection, and provides continuity of rights to members who have left in receipt of the third tier of ill-health benefits from that date.

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