Councillor members

You can choose to join the Scheme if you are eligible and under 75. To secure your entitlement to the Scheme benefits it is important that you complete and return an 'Opt-In' or joining form. Once your relevant authority receives your form, they will start deducting pension contributions from your allowance or salary. You should check your payslips to make sure the correct contributions are being taken.

Your local LGPS pension fund will set up your pension record and send you an official notification of your membership of the Scheme.

If you receive an allowance or salary from more than one authority and want pension benefits from each role, you must complete a separate joining form for each authority.

To join the scheme you must complete the 'Elected Member LGPS Opt-In' form and give it to your authority.

If you opt to join the Scheme, you will join from the begining of the next pay period. You should check your payslip to make sure pension contributions are being collected from your allowances.

Yes - you can pay into the LGPS even if you already contribute to another pension scheme. You are allowed to pay into as many pension schemes as you like. In each tax year, you can pay up to 100% of your UK taxable earnings into any number of pension arrangements of your choice and still be eligible for tax relief, subject to the annual allowance.

As an elected member, you pay a percentage of your pensionable pay into the LGPS. Your contribution rate is based on how much you are paid. It’s currently between 5.5% and 12.5%. You can find out how much the Scheme costs using the contributions calculator on www.lgpsmember.org.

Your pensionable pay is the total of all basic allowance, special responsibility allowance, salary and other relevant allowances paid by your authority. Generally this means that all pay from your authority is pensionable except travel and subsistence allowances.

Your authority pays the balance of the cost of providing your LGPS benefits.

Tax relief

As a member of the LGPS, you receive tax relief on the contributions that you pay. You also have the option to exchange part of your pension for tax-free cash when you take it.

Flexibility to pay more or less contributions

You can boost your pension by paying more contributions, which you would get tax relief on. You can also pay half your normal contributions in return for half your normal pension. This is known as the 50/50 section of the Scheme. It is designed to help members stay in the LGPS when times are financially tough.

Peace of mind

Your family enjoys financial security, with immediate life cover and a pension for your spouse, civil partner or eligible cohabiting partner and eligible children if you die in service. If you become seriously ill and you have met the two year qualifying period, you could receive your pension straight away.

Retirement benefits

Once you have met the two year qualifying period, you can retire from office and take your pension from age 55. Benefits paid before state pension age will normally be paid at a reduced rate. When you retire you can look forward to a pension payable for life that increases each year in line with the cost of living.

The Government has announced that the earliest age you can take your pension will increase to age 57 from April 2028. The LGPS regulations have not yet been amended to reflect this change.