Changing or Leaving Your Job

If you leave or change jobs, the pension you’ve built up is still yours. You have two options. You can either:  

  • Keep it in the LGPS (it will keep growing each year with the cost of living) or
  • Transfer it to another pension scheme (some transfers need independent financial advice, especially if it's over £30,000 and not to a public sector pensions club scheme; we’ll let you know if that applies).

If you return to local government work (except teaching), you can re-join the LGPS and continue building your pension. Your options depend on how long you’ve been a member.

If you've been a member for less than two years, you have three options

Refund
Transfer
Delay your refund

You can ask for a refund of your own contributions (less tax and any National Insurance due). You can’t get a refund if you re-join the LGPS in Scotland within a month and a day of leaving, or before your refund is paid.

You may be able to transfer your pension to another scheme (minimum 3 months’ membership required).

You can wait up to 5 years (or until age 75, if earlier). After that, we’ll automatically pay your refund.

If you've been a member for two years or more, you have two options

Keep it in the LGPS
Transfer

Your pension becomes “deferred” and increases each year in line with the cost of living.

You can move it to another approved pension scheme. You may need independent financial advice before some types of transfer are allowed.

Popular Questions

  • What are my options if I leave with less than two years’ membership?

    You can:
    • take a refund of the contributions you have paid less tax
    • transfer your pension to a new pension arrangement, you may need independent financial advice before you can do this if the transfer is over £30,000.

  • What are my options if I leave with more than two years' membership, hold other LGPS pension rights or transferred in membership?

    If you have more than 2 years’ membership, you won't be able to get a refund.  Instead, when you leave the Scheme, you have two options:


    • You can choose to keep your pension in the Scheme until your pension is due for payment - this is known as deferred pension 
    • You can transfer your pension to a new pension arrangement, you may need independent financial advice before you can do this if the transfer is over £30,000.

  • Can I get a refund?

    If you leave the scheme with less than two years' membership, don't hold LGPS pension rights in any other Scottish Fund and didn't transfer membership into the Scheme, you can be refunded your contributions or can transfer them to another pension scheme.  If you opt for a refund, this is the contributions you paid only and will be less tax.
    Your employer will provide details of the contributions paid to for us to refund or defer your benefits. If you choose a refund, we'll send a form to complete and provide us with your bank details.

  • How do I claim my refund?

    Your employer will give us details of the contributions paid by you so we can refund or defer your benefits. We'll send a form a month after you leave to complete and, if you choose to take a refund, all you need to do is provide us with your bank details. The options and forms will be available on My Pension Online and you can upload your completed form via the service using the document upload facility.  Please make sure we have the correct address and email address.

  • How long does it take to be paid my refund?

    Our Regulations mean we can't make payment until one month after the date you left of the scheme. We'll send details of your options when your employer notifies us that you have left. Once you return your form, payment will be normally made within seven working days.

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