Leaving
Leaving Before Retirement
If you leave your job, or opt out of the pension scheme before your pension can be paid, you will need to decide what to do with your pension.
How Do I Opt Out?
If you want to opt out and stop paying pension contributions, simply complete the Opt Out form and return it to your employer.
What Happens to My Pension?
What you can do with your pension depends on how long you have been a member and if you have other Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) benefits in Scotland.
3 or more months membership but less than 2 years and no other LGPS benefits in Scotland, you can:
- Get a refund of your contributions*, or
- Transfer your pension to another provider
2+ years membership or less than 2 years but you have LGPS benefits elsewhere in Scotland, you can:
- Transfer your pension to another provider, or
- Leave your pension with us until it can be paid to you - this is known as "Deferred" pension benefits.
When leaving, we will write out to you and tell you your options.
*if you re-join the scheme before the refund has been paid out, or less than 1 month and 1 day has passed from the date of leaving/opting-out then a refund will no longer be payable.
