I paid into the LGPS prior to 1 April 2014

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Any pension you built up in the LGPS before 1 April 2014 is fully protected. This protection includes a Normal Pension Age of age 65 (except for a very small number of members with an earlier protected age of 60) for payment of those benefits.
 
You cannot take the benefits you built up prior to 1 April 2014 separately from the benefits you build up from 1 April 2014 onwards. All of your pension would have to be drawn at the same time if retiring voluntarily.
 
Also, Rule of 85 protections which some members have, will continue to apply after 1 April 2014.
 

For Example:

A member retires at his Normal Pension Age in 2017 with a total of 16 years’ service.
 
  • The first 7 years were in the 1997 Scheme,
  • The second 6 years in the 2008 Scheme and
  • The last 3 years in the 2014 Scheme.
 
His final pensionable pay figure is £15,320. His career average pension from April 2014 is £933.67.
 
This is how the member's total benefits will be calculated:
 
Membership
Benefit Calculation
Amount
Before 1 April 2008 = 7 years
 
Pension (7/80 x £15,320)
Automatic Lump Sum (3 x 7/80 x £15,320)
£1,340.50
£4,021.50
Between 1 April 2008 and 31 March 2014 = 6 years
 
Pension (6/60 x £15,320)
£1,532.00
From 1 April 2014 = 3 years CARE Pension £933.67
 
The member's total LGPS pension benefits’ (adding together the three pension amounts) is £3,806.17 plus an automatic lump sum of £4,021.50.
 
He could increase the amount of benefit he will take as a tax free cash lump sum by exchanging pension to a maximum of £17,748.40 which would leave him with an annual pension of £2,662.26 (assuming he has no other pension savings).