Both you and your employer pay contributions to pay for your LGPS pension. How much you pay depends on how much you earn. You will pay between 5.5% and 12.5% of your pensionable pay. If you join the 50/50 section of the Scheme, you will pay half the rates shown in the table below.
When you join the LGPS, and every April afterwards, your employer will decide your contribution rate. If you have more than one job, your employer will set your contribution rate separately for each job. If your pay changes in the year, your employer may decide to review your contribution rate.
The table below shows the pay bands and contribution rates that apply from April 2026.
Member contribution rates from April 2026
| Pensionable pay for this employment | Main section Gross Contribution | 50/50 section Gross Contribution |
| £0 - £18,400 | 5.5% | 2.75% |
| £18,401 - £29,000 | 5.8% | 2.90% |
| £29,001 - £47,300 | 6.5% | 3.25% |
| £47,301 - £59,800 | 6.8% | 3.40% |
| £59,801 - £84,000 | 8.5% | 4.25% |
| £84,001 - £119,100 | 9.9% | 4.95% |
| £119,101 - £140,400 | 10.5% | 5.25% |
| £140,401 - £210,700 | 11.4% | 5.70% |
| £210,701 or more | 12.5% | 6.25% |
The Contributions calculator
You can also use an interactive 'Contributions calculator' on the LGPS members website to find out how much you will pay in contributions.
You will need to input:
- your pay for the next scheme year (1 April to 31 March)
- how often you are paid (either weekly or monthly), and
- the section of the scheme you are in (you'll be in the main section unless you choose to pay less in the 50/50 section).
Tax relief
If you earn enough to pay tax, your LGPS contributions will attract tax relief when they are deducted from your pay.
There are restrictions on the amount of tax relief available on pension contributions. If the value of your pension savings increases in a year by more than the standard annual allowance, you may have to pay a tax charge. Most people will not be affected by the annual allowance.
