Transferring to a different scheme
Off to pastures new?
We understand there may come a time when you want to transfer your pension benefits to another scheme. Before you make any plans, you just need to be aware of the rules.
Transfer rules
- You must have been paying into your LGPS pension for at least 3 months
- You must be at least 12 months away from Normal Pension Age or a Guaranteed Minimum Pension
- You must be transferring your benefits to an HMRC registered pension scheme
- You must not be paying into the LGPS with any other employer. If you have more than one pension with the LGPS, you will need to transfer all of them to your new scheme
- You must not be in receipt of an LGPS pension (other than a ‘survivor’s pension’ following the death of a partner or a ‘pension credit’ following a divorce or dissolution of a civil partnership)
- You must not be retiring immediately
How long will it take?
Every case is different, but the transfer process can often take several weeks due to due diligence checks and HMRC confirmation. Whatever happens, we’ll keep you fully updated along the way.
Is the process the same for overseas transfers?
If you’re transferring to an overseas pension scheme, we are likely to require additional documentation and checks, so it may take a little longer. Again, we’ll keep you fully updated along the way.
Or for more information on pension transfers visit the LGPS website.
