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.

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 either print the form off and return it to your employer. Or you can complete the online opt out form on our website. If you're not able to print out the form, please contact the pensions team on 01743 252130.

 

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.

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.

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.