I have previous LGPS pension rights in England or Wales
Printer-friendly versionIf you rejoin the LGPS after having previously built up LGPS pension rights (i.e. you previously left an LGPS employment with deferred benefits), then these deferred benefits can be joined with your new active pension account in the LGPS, unless you became entitled to this deferred benefit as a result of making an election, on or after 11 April 2015, to opt out of membership of the Scheme.
If that is the case, you will not be permitted to join the two periods of membership together and, instead, you will have two separate sets of pension benefits in the Scheme.
If you rejoin the LGPS after having previously left an LGPS employment without building up rights to a deferred pension but you deferred taking a refund of contributions (normally where you have less than two years membership) then this deferred refund must be joined with your new active pension account in the scheme.
Where you have more than one employment and therefore more than one pension account in the LGPS you can elect which account to aggregate your previous LGPS pension rights with.
I have deferred benefits in the LGPS in England or Wales (which I did not become entitled to as a result of making an election, on or after 11 April 2015, to opt out of membership of the Scheme). What happens to these when I rejoin the Scheme?
When you rejoin the LGPS you have 12 months from rejoining (or such longer period as your employer may allow) to elect to keep your deferred benefits separate from your new pension account otherwise these deferred benefits are automatically joined with your new pension account.
Where you have more than one employment, and therefore more than one pension account in the LGPS, you can elect which account to aggregate your deferred benefits with.
Special rules apply if you were a member of the LGPS in England or Wales on or before 31 March 2014. These are set out here >>
I have a deferred refund in the LGPS in England or Wales. What happens to this refund when I rejoin the Scheme?
When you rejoin the LGPS you must, if you have not had a break of more than 5 years in active membership of the LGPS in England or Wales, combine the pension in your deferred refund account with your new active pension account.
Where you have more than one employment and therefore more than one active pension account in the LGPS you can elect which account to aggregate your deferred refund with.
However, if you have had a break of more than 5 years in active membership of the LGPS in England or Wales, you will not be able to combine the pension in your deferred refund account with your new active pension account and must, instead, take a refund of contributions.
Special rules apply if you were a member of the LGPS in England or Wales on or before 31 March 2014. These are set out here >>.
For more information
If you rejoin the LGPS with previous LGPS pension rights, please complete and return our Membership Form. We will contact you with information about your options.
