Deferred

Linking LGPS membership

Can I link my previous LGPS membership to my current membership?

The rules about linking other LGPS membership changed on 1 April 2014. The new rules are complicated and depend on what previous membership you have. Some members need to elect if they want to link previous membership. Other members need to elect if they want to keep previous membership separate – otherwise the membership will be automatically linked.

An election must usually be made within the first 12 months of rejoining the scheme (or leaving a job that overlaps with your current job) – but your current employer can extend this time limit while ever you are still paying into the scheme in your current job.

Membership will be automatically linked for members who haven’t built up enough membership to keep separate benefits.

If your new membership is with WYPF – you should also read the notes in this section of our website.

I’ve rejoined the LGPS but in a new pension fund elsewhere – can I link my previous membership with the membership in my new fund?

The rules about linking other LGPS membership changed on 1 April 2014. The new rules are complicated and depend on what previous membership you have. Some members need to elect if they want to link previous membership. Other members need to elect if they want to keep previous membership separate – otherwise the membership will be automatically linked.

An election must usually be made within the first 12 months of rejoining the scheme (or leaving a job that overlaps with your current job) – but your current employer can extend this time limit while ever you are still paying into the scheme in your current job.

Tell your new pension fund that you have previous membership with us and they’ll get in touch with us for all the details.

Your new pension fund should give you details of any linking options and tell you if your membership is automatically linked.