You can choose to retire and take your pension from the LGPS at any time from age 55 to 75, provided you have completed a minimum of two years membership in the Scheme and have left your job.
However, the Government has announced that the earliest age you can take your pension will increase from 55 to 57 from 6 April 2028. For more information, see the Pension age changes section.
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Normal Pension Age
Your benefits are paid in full if you choose to take them from your Normal Pension Age. For benefits built up from April 2014, your Normal Pension Age is linked to your State Pension age but is at least age 65.
The Normal Pension Age for benefits built up in the LGPS before 1 April 2014 is protected. For most people, the protected Normal Pension Age for these benefits is 65.
If you were a member of the LGPS at any time between 1 April 1998 and 30 September 2006, some or all of your benefits could be paid in full before age 65 if you are protected by the 85-year rule. You can find out more about the 85-year rule in the section below.
If you choose to take your pension before your Normal Pension Age, it will normally be reduced because it is being paid earlier. The earlier you take your pension, the bigger the reduction will be. You can find out more in the Early retirement reductions section below.
Your employer may decide not to apply all or part of any reduction. You can ask them what their policy on this is.
If you take your pension after your Normal Pension Age, it will be increased. The increase is based on the number of days from your Normal Pension Age to the date you take your pension.
You cannot take your benefits built up before 1 April 2014 separately from the benefits you built up from 1 April 2014. Once you have left your job and choose to take your pension, you must take your whole LGPS pension at the same time. Different rules apply if you take flexible retirement.
Reductions if you choose to retire before your Normal Pension Age
If you choose to retire before your Normal Pension Age, your benefits will normally be reduced because they will be paid for longer. Your benefits are calculated as set out in the How your pension is worked out section and are then reduced. How much your benefits are reduced by depends on how early you take them.
The Government sets the early retirement reduction factors. They can vary from time to time. The table below shows the reduction factors that are currently in force:
| Number of years paid early | Pension Reduction | Lump sum reduction (for membership to 31 March 2008) |
| 0 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1 | 5.0% | 2.0% |
| 2 | 9.6% | 3.9% |
| 3 | 13.9% | 5.8% |
| 4 | 17.8% | 7.6% |
| 5 | 21.5% | 9.4% |
| 6 | 24.9% | 11.2% |
| 7 | 28.1% | 12.9% |
| 8 | 31.1% | 14.7% |
| 9 | 33.9% | 16.3% |
| 10 | 36.6% | 18.0% |
| 11 | 39.0% | n/a |
| 12 | 41.4% | n/a |
| 13 | 43.6% | n/a |
If you were a member of the LGPS at any time between 1 April 1998 and 30 September 2006, some of your benefits paid early could be protected from the reduction if you have rule of 85 protection. You can find out more about rule of 85 protections in the section protection form pension reductions.
Choosing to carry on working after your Normal Pension Age
If you carry on working after your Normal Pension Age, you will continue to pay into the LGPS, building up further benefits. When you eventually retire you will receive your pension unless you choose to delay taking it. Your pension must be paid to you by age 75. Your pension will be paid at an increased rate because it will be paid for a shorter time.
