Deferred Member
If you have left the LGPS but are not receiving a pension yet, you are a Deferred Member.
This means you have deferred taking your pension benefits until a later date.
The national LGPS Member website contains a large quantity of information to explain how your benefits have been calculated, what benefits are available to you and when they can become payable.
Are you considering transferring your defined benefits out of our Fund?
Your benefits in the Nottinghamshire Pension Fund are defined benefits which provide a guaranteed retirement income, as such any decision on transferring your benefits out of our Fund should not be rushed.
Please see our Protecting Yourself Against Pensions Scams page to help you become scam smart.
How do I claim my deferred pension
The earliest age you can receive payment of your deferred benefits is from age 55.
If you intend to retire and claim your pension before your Normal Pension Age (NPA), we require a minimum of three months' written notice.
Benefits paid earlier than your NPA will normally be subject to a reduction to take account of the fact that your annual pension will be paid for longer. The reduction applied depends on how early you are claiming your pension. The reduction is based on the length of time (in years and days) between the date you take them and the date your deferred benefit will be payable without a reduction for early payment. If you are unsure when your NPA is you can check your annual benefit statement.
We will write out to you a month before the date your benefits become payable in full. You will be issued with a retirement pack to complete in order to claim your pension.
Please ensure you keep us informed of any changes to your personal circumstances.
If you have reached your normal retirement age and wish to take your pension benefits but have not received a retirement pack and guide please contact us.
You can defer payment of your pension until the day before your 75th birthday (providing you left your employment after 1 April 1998).
If you left your employment before 1 April 1998 you are unable to defer payment of your pension beyond your Normal Pension Age.
Changes to the Earliest Retirement Age
The UK Government has announced that the earliest age you can take your pension will increase from age 55 to 57 with effect from 6 April 2028. This does not apply if you have to take your pension early due to ill health.
You could be protected from this increase if you joined the LGPS in England and Wales before 4 November 2021. You could also be protected if you transferred a previous pension into the LGPS if certain conditions are met. However, you will only be able to use this protection when you take your LGPS pension if the LGPS rules allow you to take your pension before age 57.
The UK Government makes the LGPS rules. It has not yet confirmed if it will allow members who qualify for protection to take their LGPS pension before age 57, from 6 April 2028.
Pension Credit Members
If you were awarded a share of your ex-spouse’s LGPS pension as part of a divorce settlement and you are a pension credit member in the LGPS, you can elect to take payment of these benefits from age 55 regardless of when the pension sharing order took effect. We require three months' written notice in order to release your pension. Benefits paid earlier than your Normal Pension Age will also be reduced to reflect early payment.
Ill Health
If you are too ill to work, you can ask for your deferred benefits to be paid on ill health grounds. You would need to contact your your former employer who will be able to arrange an occupational health appointment for you. Please see the LGPS Member - Taking your deferred pension for further information on the criteria.
Pensioner Member
If you are receiving your LGPS pension you are a Pensioner member of the scheme.