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About the scheme
The Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) is a statutory Scheme, which means that the scheme rules are issued by parliament and have the force of law. This legal status makes it a very secure pension scheme.
The vesting period in the LGPS is 2 years. A vesting period is the minimum amount of time you need to be in the scheme to qualify for a pension.
If you leave the pension scheme with less than two years’ membership you’re entitled to a refund of your pension contributions, less deductions. You can read more about the vesting period and refunds here.
| Your pension scheme at a glance | |
| Build up rate of 1/49th of your pay a year | |
| Revalued yearly by Treasury order | |
| Build up rate for survivor benefits 1/160th | |
| Pensions in payment inflation protected | |
| What pay counts towards my pension? | Actual pay including overtime, and additional hours if you’re part time |
| Can I reduce my contributions? | You can temporarily pay 50% contributions to get 50% pension |
| What’s my normal pension age? | Your state pension age |
| What's the earliest age I can voluntarily retire at? | From age 55 |
| Can I trade pension for lump sum? | Yes – get £12 lump sum for every £1 pension you trade |
| What death grant is paid if I die ‘in service’? | A lump sum of at least three times your pensionable pay |
| How is my pension enhanced if I retire because of ill health? | Depends if it’s tier 1, 2 or 3...
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| How long do I have to pay in to be entitled to a pension? | Two years |
| How long can I pay into the pension scheme? | Up to age 75 |
