Contribute to a concurrent personal pension plan or stakeholder pension scheme

Printer-friendly versionPrinter-friendly version
You may be able to make your own arrangements to pay into a personal pension plan or stakeholder pension scheme at the same time as paying into the LGPS. With these arrangements, you choose a provider, usually an insurance company. You may want to consider their charges, alternative investments and past performance when you do this.
 
You choose how much to pay into the arrangement. You can pay up to 100% of your total UK taxable earnings in any one tax year into any number of concurrent pension arrangements of your choice (or, if greater, £3,600 to a “tax relief at source” arrangement, such as a personal pension or stakeholder pension scheme) and be eligible for tax relief on those contributions.
 
If you pay into a personal pension plan or stakeholder pension scheme, the contributions you make to it are invested in funds managed by an insurance company. You have your own personal account that, over time, builds up with your contributions and the returns on your investment, and will be available later in your life to convert into additional benefits. You can often choose which investment route you prefer.
 
When the benefits are paid, you will be able to take up to 25% of your Fund as a tax-free lump sum* with the remainder available for use to buy an annuity from an insurance company, bank or building society or, if the personal pension or stakeholder provider offers the option, to take as a taxable lump sum or to use for flexi access drawdown.
 
*Provided the lump sum does not exceed £263,750 (2019/20 figure) or if you have previously taken payment of (crystallised) pension benefits, 25% of your remaining lifetime allowance.