Flexible retirement

You would have to take:

• all of the benefits that relate to any pre 1 April 2008 membership, plus
• any additional benefits bought under an added years contract which commenced before 1 October 2006 or as a result of an Additional Voluntary Contributions (AVC) contract that commenced before 13 November 2001

You can choose to take (subject to the agreement of your employer):

• all, none or some of the benefits built up between 1 April 2008 and 31 March 2014
• all, none or some of the benefits built up from 1 April 2014
• all or none of any additional pension being purchased either through Additional Pension Contributions (APCs), Shared Cost APCs or Additional Regular Contributions (ARCs)
• all or none of any additional benefits bought under an added years contract which commenced after 1 October 2006
• all or none any additional pension awarded by your employer
• all or none of any benefits as a result of an AVC contract that commenced on or after 13 November 2001

If your employer agrees to flexible retirement you can still draw your wages/salary from your job on the reduced hours or grade and continue paying into the LGPS, building up further benefits in the scheme. 

If you take flexible retirement before your Normal Pension Age, your benefits will normally be reduced for early payment. How much your benefits are reduced by depends on how early you take them. Find out the reductions via our Early retirement reductions section.

If you were a member of the LGPS at any time between 1 April 1998 and 30 September 2006, some or all of the benefits that are paid early could be protected from the reduction if you are a rule of 85 protected member. 

Your employer may, however, determine not to apply all or part of any reduction. You can ask them what their policy on this is.

If you receive payment of your benefits on flexible retirement, then your benefits will not be subject to reduction or suspension for re-employment whilst you are in a job with the employer that allowed you to take flexible retirement.

If you take flexible retirement after your Normal Pension Age your pension will be increased for each day payment of your pension is delayed beyond your Normal Pension Age to reflect late payment.