Councillors in England and Wales

If you are are a councillor in England or Wales and you are under age 75, you may have access to the LGPS.  

Check your payments to see if pension contributions are being deducted and if not, contact your council to see if you can join. 

It is important that you complete and return any joining form sent to you. On receipt of your form, relevant records will be set up and an official notification of your membership in the Scheme will be sent to you.

You can look forward to your retirement with the LGPS which gives you:

A secure pension –

the benefits you get when you retire are based on the length of your membership in the scheme and your career average pay.  After you retire, your pension keeps pace with cost of living increases. 

Tax-free cash–

you also receive a lump sum payment on your retirement.

Peace of mind –

your family enjoys financial security, with immediate life cover and a pension for your husband, wife or civil partner and children, in the event of your death and, if you ever become seriously ill, you could receive immediate ill-health benefits.

Early retirement –

you can choose to retire from age 60 and receive your benefits immediately, although they may be reduced for early payment. It’s also possible to retire from age 50 and receive your benefits immediately, provided you have your council's consent.

Options to pay extra –

boost your retirement benefits by paying more contributions. You get tax relief on these, too.