Early payment of deferred benefits with your former employer's consent if you left the LGPS before 1 April 2014

If you left the LGPS before 1 April 2014, you can request early payment of your deferred benefits from age 55, but you must have your former employer's permission for payment before age 60. This is a discretion and you can ask your employer what their policy on this is.

You do not need your former employer's consent to draw your benefits at or after age 60.

If you choose to draw your deferred benefits before age 65, your benefits may be reduced to take account of their early payment and the fact that your pension will be paid for longer.

How much your deferred benefits are reduced by depends on how early you draw them. Your former employer can agree to waive any reduction on compassionate grounds. This is also a discretion and you can ask your employer what their policy on this is.