Transfer in Local Government Service
You can choose to transfer your previous membership to your new Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) membership or to leave it separate.
If you are re-joining the LGPS with a new employer, you can opt to transfer your previous LGPS membership to your new LGPS membership, as this will not be transferred automatically. Your benefits will then be based upon your entire period of LGPS membership and linked to your final pay on leaving your new job. Any option to transfer your previous LGPS membership must be made within the first 12 months of joining the LGPS, unless your employer allows you longer.
The rules attached to this have though become quite complex over the years and are explained in detail in the members guide (pages 47 onwards) for which a link is provided below:
Full guide to the local government pension scheme.
If you are moving to a new job which is less well paid, you still have the option to transfer, but you will need to decide whether it may be better to leave your benefits in your old employer’s fund.
If you have not already done so on the Membership Form, you can use a transfer request form to begin this process.
What if I have lost contact with my previous pension provider?
The Pension Tracing Service (PTS) is a free service which aims to help people find pension schemes they have “lost touch” with. This may have happened because of a change in employment or the name of the company may have changed.
Find out more about The Pension Tracing Service at the Gov website