Frequently Asked Questions

I am at risk of redundancy. Can I have some pension figures please?

All requests for redundancy quotes must be made to HR via your manager.


I have changed my Bank details. Can I give you my new details now?

For security reasons, we are unable to take new bank details over the phone. Please write in with your new details and they will be amended for you.


I have moved. Can I give you my new address over the phone?

For security reasons, we are unable to take change of addresses over the phone. Please write in with your new details and they will be amended for you.


I wish to opt out of the Pension Scheme.

Please follow this link to obtain a form. opting out



ANNUAL BENEFIT STATEMENTS

Why have I received an annual benefit statement?

If you pay into the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) you will receive a statement each year. It uses information given to us by your employer. It has not been checked.
  • It shows the value of your LGPS benefits as at 31 March 2010 and a projected value of your benefits at age 65
  • Your statement is purely for illustrative purposes. Your pay and membership could change by the time you retire.
  • Please advise us if the name and date of birth are incorrect on your statement.
  • If pay and membership information seems incorrect, please contact payroll in the 1st instance.

I have received more than 1 annual benefit statement

Its most likely that you have 2 or more roles at work.

If you have deferred (frozen) pensions, you will have received a statement for each of them. Statements for your deferred pensions are sent to your home address. Please write to us if you have changed your address.

I am expecting more than 1 statement, but have not received them all

Statements for deferred benefits were sent to home addresses in October. You will not receive all your statements together.

I have not received an annual benefit statement

You may have joined the LGPS after March 2010. The statements show the value of the LGPS benefits at that date. Unless you opt out with less than 3 months membership, you will receive a statement next year.

If you were in the scheme on 31 March 2010, but you have not received a statement, we may have a query about your pay or service with your employer. Please ask your employer if this is the case. Once it has been resolved, a statement will be sent to you.

My statement was sent to the wrong place

If your employer posted your statement to you, please tell them your current address.

My final pay looks wrong

It is your average pay for the year up to 31 March 2010, not your current pay that is used. The statement shows your whole time equivalent pay. This is what you would earn for working a full time week all year round. We use this figure even if you work part time or term time only.

Why are there different sets of figures?
  • Value of LGPS Benefits at 31/03/0210 shows what your pension was worth at that date. If you were to stop paying in and your pension became deferred, this is what you would have built up so far.
  • If you are aged 60 or over, you can retire and claim your pension early. If you do this, your pension will probably be reduced. The figures for 31 March 2010 give an idea of what your pension would be if you claimed it then. It shows the possible effects of reductions that might be made for early payment.
  • LGPS benefits payable from age 65 gives an idea of what your pension would be if you were to continue working as you are now and claim it at 65. In reality, your hours and pay are likely to change in the future, so your pension will be different.
  • On 1 April 2008, the scheme changed. Your statement shows membership before and after this date because it is worked out differently.

Total Pension is the TOTAL amount of pension you will receive. (60th and 80th added together)

Scheme Retirement Grant is the lump sum that will be paid with the pension

You can give up some of your pension to increase your lump sum. Each £1 of pension that you give up will give you a £12 tax free lump sum. Max Retirement Grant with Conversion is the maximum lump sum you can receive and Residual Pension is the reduced pension this will provide.

I have less membership than I think I should have

If you have more than 1 job, you will receive a statement for each one. Please check to see if the membership, when you look at the statements together, is right.

There is no lump sum on the statement

If you joined the scheme on of after 1 April 2008 or later, you will not receive an automatic lump sum with your pension. Each year membership you have will give you pension worth 1/60th of your final pay. When you retire, you can give up some pension to provide a lump sum.

The lump sum is the same at 31 March 2010 as it is when I am 65

If you joined the scheme before 1 April 2008, you will have a lump sum with your pension. Each year of membership that you have before 1 April 2008 will give you a pension worth 1/80th of your final pay. It will also give you a lump sum worth 3/80th of your final pay.

The scheme changed on 1 April 2008 and since then you have not been building up a lump sum. Instead, you have been building up pension at a higher rate. Each year of membership that you have from 1 April 2008 will give you a pension worth 1/60th of your final pay. When you retire you can give up pension to make the lump sum bigger.

Does the survivor’s pension change my own pension benefits?

No, your own pension will remain the same whether or not you have a partner.

There is no surviving partner’s pension on my statement
  • Your own pension will stay the same whether or not you have a partner
  • If you are married or in a civil partnership, your partner automatically qualifies to receive a surviving partner’s pension. If you’d like this on your statement, please send us a copy of your marriage or civil partnership certificate.
  • If you were paying into your pension on or after 1 April 2008 you may be able to nominate your partner even if you are not married or in a civil partnership. You must meet certain conditions to be able to nominate them. Please complete a Nomination of Cohabiting Partner form and sent in to us.

There is no one nominated to receive a death grant

If this part of your statement is blank, or your nomination is out of date, please post us a Death Grant Nomination Form.

There is nothing about my AVC on the statement

Statements for AVC’s are sent separately. If you used a transferred AVC to buy extra membership, it is included in the statement but it is not shown separately.

Does my statement include the added years that I am buying?

These are not shown separately on your statement, but it is possible to see how much extra membership you had bought by 312 March 2010.

Does my statement include the ARC’s that I am buying?

The Additional Regular contributions that you had bought by 31 March 2010 are included in the pension shown on your statement, but they are not shown separately.



Page last updated on: 25/03/2011