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.
There are some general rules which apply to all members taking their pension:
* 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 Scottish Government about how this protection will be applied.
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:
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.
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 MoreMany people wonder what Rule of 85 is, if they have it and how it affects their pension.
Find Out MoreChoosing to take your pension before your Normal Pension Age means that in most cases your pension will be reduced for early payment.
Find Out MoreWhether you are taking your pension normally, or you are looking to cash it in, there are different ways to access your pension.
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.
LoginThe Pensions Increase for April 2025, is 1.7%
The NESPF is delighted to announce it has won the Pensions Administration Award at the Pensions Age Awards 2025.
One area which often causes confusion is Defined Benefit (DB) schemes versus Defined Contribution (DC) schemes.
Active and deferred members who will be affected by the McCloud remedy are being invited to attend a free online webinar.