Your Pension Options

It's what you have been saving for and looking forward to. Learn all you need about when and how you can take your pension and the different retirement options available to you. 

When Can I Take My Pension?

There are some general rules which apply to all members taking their pension:

  • You only choose to take your pension from age 55* and you must take your pension before your 75th birthday.
  • If you take your pension before your Normal Pension Age, your pension may be reduced for early payment. The only exception to this is Ill Health Retirement and members who qualify for full Rule of 85 protection.
  • You cannot cash in or withdraw your LGPS pension. If you are over 55* and wish to access some or all of your pension you would need to transfer it to another pension provider. Learn more about transfers.

* Note that the UK Government has announced that the earliest age you can ordinarily take your pension will increase from age 55 to 57 from 6 April 2028. You may be protected from this increase if you joined the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) in Scotland before 4th November 2021, but we are still awaiting confirmation from the Government about how this protection will be applied. 

What is Normal Pension Age?

Normal Pension Age (NPA) is simply the age you can take your pension benefits in full, without any reductions for early payment. Normal Pension Age differs depending on when you were paying into the Pension Scheme:

  • Before 1 April 2015: NPA = 65
  • On or After 1 April 2015: NPA = State Pension Age, with a minimum of 65. That means those who have a State Pension Age lower than 65, still have a NPA of 65. As your Normal Pension Age is linked to your State Pension Age, if your State Pension Age changes so too will your Normal Pension Age. You can find out your State Pension Age at www.gov.uk

If you were paying into the Pension Scheme both before and after April 2015, you cannot take payment of the benefits built up under each membership period separately. They must be taken at the same time. 

  • Types of Retirement

    There are a number of options for retiring and taking your pension; from early to late retirement, or if you are too ill to continue to work, ill health retirement can be available. 

    Find Out More

  • Rule of 85

    Many people wonder what Rule of 85 is, if they have it and how it affects their pension. 

    Find Out More

  • Taking your Pension Early or Late

    If you retire and take your pension benefits at your Normal Pension Age (NPA), your pension benefits will be paid in full without any reductions or increases. If you choose to take your pension before or after your NPA, your payment amounts are likely to be affected.

    Find Out More

Claim your pension

Whether you are taking your pension normally, or you are looking to cash it in, there are different ways to access your pension.

How much will my pension be?

See how taking your pension at different ages and under different circumstances impacts its value by logging into your My Pension+ account and using the pension calculators.

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