Thinking of accessing your pension? (deferred members)
If you left the LGPS on or after 1 April 1998
Your deferred pension benefits are normally payable in full at your Normal Pension Age in the LGPS. From 1 April 2014 your Normal Pension Age is linked to your State Pension Age (but with a minimum of age 65). The Normal Pension Age for benefits built up before 1 April 2014 is age 65 (in almost all cases). You do not have to take your deferred pension benefit at your Normal Pension Age, you can take it at any time between the ages of 55 and 75; it can also be paid from any age if you suffer permanent ill health.
However, if your pension is not in payment at age 60 (women) / 65 (men), the Guaranteed Minimum Pension (GMP) element (if any) of your pension may have to be paid from that date - this will depend on when you left the scheme and if you are still in employment.
If you left the LGPS before 1 April 1998
Your deferred pension benefits are normally payable in full at your Normal Retirement Date (NRD). Your Normal Retirement Date is different to the Normal Pension Age for members who left on or after 1 April 1998. Your Normal Retirement Date is:
age 60, if by that age you would have built up 25 years membership if you had remained in the scheme until then, or
the date you would have achieved 25 years membership if you had remained in the scheme, if that date falls between your 60th and 65th birthday, or
age 65 if, by that age, you would not have had built up 25 years membership if you had remained in the scheme until then.
You do not have an option to defer payment of your benefits beyond your Normal Retirement Date i.e. you have to take payment of your benefits at that date if they are not already in payment.
You have the option of taking your deferred pension benefit early from age 55 and it can be paid from any age if you suffer permanent ill health.
For more information on accessing your deferred pension early, please visit the following links:
