Accessing Benefits Through Ill Health

If you’ve left the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) and hold deferred benefits, you may be able to access your pension early if illness or injury permanently prevents you from doing your job or any regular employment. This is called ill health retirement.

This provision exists to give financial security to members whose health changes unexpectedly, so the process is thorough, and evidence based.

How it works

If you apply for ill-health retirement as a deferred member:

Medical Assessment
Decision
Payment

You’ll will need an assessment by an independent, qualified occupational health physician who is approved under LGPS regulations.

Your former LGPS employer will consider the medical opinion and decide whether you meet the criteria.

If approved, your deferred benefits will be paid immediately, without any early retirement reductions.

In some cases, your benefits may be enhanced to reflect the pension you would have built up if you had worked to your NPA.

Evidence required

When applying, you’ll need to provide the following evidence:

  • Your medical records and any recent reports from specialists or GPs
  • Contact details for your GP or specialist
  • Information on your work history and capabilities.

The medical evidence must clearly show:

  • Your condition is permanent (until NPA)
  • You’re unlikely to return to gainful employment before your NPA.

What happens if you're approved

  • Your pension will start being paid from the date agreed in the decision
  • It will be reviewed each April in line with the cost of living increase
  • Once in payment, it cannot be reduced or stopped if your health improves. 

If you're not approved

If your application is declined, you can:

  • Continue to keep your benefits deferred until your NPA
  • You can take your benefits earlier than NPA (from age 55) voluntarily, but these will be reduced for early payment
  • If you feel your application wasn’t assessed correctly, you can request a review via the Internal Dispute Resolution Procedure (IDRP).

Forms

  • Internal Dispute Resolution Procedure (IDRP) Form

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