Opting out of the LGPS
Membership of the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) is automatic in many cases, but you don’t have to stay in the scheme. You can cancel your membership; this is called opting out.
If you're thinking of opting out remember, the LGPS is one of the best occupational schemes in England and Wales. By being a member, you'll get a range of secure benefits.
If you're a new employee, you can’t opt out before you begin your job.
Before you opt out - have you considered the 50/50 section?
You may want to think about joining the 50/50 section. This allows you to pay half your normal contributions in return for half the normal pension benefits. This means you keep building up valuable benefits in the LGPS.
Notice to opt out
If, after reading about the benefits of joining the LGPS, you decide that you still want to opt out, you must fill in an opt out form. You can complete the fillable opt out form available on our website.
Your application to opt out of the LGPS can only progress when this form has been received by your employer who'll stop taking pension contributions. After your employer has adjusted their payroll, they'll instruct the Pensions Team that you've opted out.
To find out what happens to your benefits after opting out of the scheme, see the page Leaving the scheme before retirement, under Related Pages.
Opting back into the scheme
If you want to opt back in to the LGPS, you can fill in an opt in form.
If you opted out on or after 11 April 2015, but later re-join the LGPS, your two periods of membership must stay separate. They cannot be joined together.
Automatic re-enrolment
If you have opted out of the LGPS your employer will have to bring you back into the scheme every three years on a set re-enrolment date, if you're classed as an eligible jobholder. This is also the case if you're an eligible jobholder who has joined the 50/50 section. Upon being re-enrolled into the scheme, you can opt out again or re-join the 50/50 scheme.
