top ten helpdesk questions

Updated 12/05/06

The top ten most common questions that our help desk staff answer (in no particular order) are:

Question Answer:

1 Do I need to tell you if I change address? Yes! Your employer will not automatically tell us, and if you are already in receipt of a pension, we will need your address to send your payslip to you!
If you are a preserved beneficiary we will need an address to write to you when your benefits become payable, we will also need it to send you regular updates of the value of your benefits between now and retirement.
Change of address >>>

2 What happens if I leave the scheme? The benefits of the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) are based on your service within the scheme. When we have been informed by your employer that you have left the scheme, we will write to you and inform you of the benefits that you have been awarded.
All About Your Deferred Benefits Booklet (pdf file) >>>

3 Can I have a refund ? Refunds are only payable if you have less than three months LGPS membership (any transfer of pension rights may prevent a refund ~ regardless of the length of service within the LGPS prior to the transfer.

4
How can I increase my benefits?

To increase the value of the benefits that you and your dependants receive, you may:

Pay additional LGPS contributions to purchase additional years of membership.

Make an additional voluntary contributions (AVC) arrangement.

Repay a previous refund of LGPS contributions.

Contribute to a concurrent personal pension plan or stakeholder pension scheme

Prudential AVC website >>>

Increasing your benefits >>>

Increasing your pension benefits (a guide) >>>

5
Can I opt-out of the LGPS?

You can leave the LGPS at any time by giving your employer notice in writing. An election to opt-out becomes effective from the end of the payment period during which you gave notification, unless your notification specifies a date later than the date the notification was made. You are recommended to obtain advice before opting-out of the LGPS.

If you opt-out within three months of joining you will be treated as not having been a member of the LGPS during that period, but will be treated as having opted-out of the LGPS. The contributions that you have paid will be refunded by your employer after the arrears of National Insurance contributions and tax, due as a result of not being a member of the LGPS, are deducted.

If you opt-out after three months the same options are available to you as detailed in the section on Leaving your Present Job before Retirement.

6 Can I re-join the LGPS at a later date?
If you opt-out once, you can re-join the LGPS at any time. If you opt-out of the LGPS more than once, unless you elect to re-join the Scheme within three months of commencing work with a new employer, you will only be allowed to re-join at the discretion of your employer. You should ask your employer what their policy is on this matter.

7 Who runs the LGPS?
The LGPS is run by administering authorities, for example County Councils, in accordance with regulations approved by Parliament. Each administers their own Fund, into which all contributions are paid. Every three years, independent actuaries carry out a valuation of each Fund and set the rate at which the participating employers must contribute to fully fund the payment of Scheme benefits for that Fund's membership.

8 How is the Scheme amended? The Scheme regulations are made under the Superannuation Act 1972. Changes to the rules are discussed at national level by employee and employer representatives but can only be amended with the approval of Parliament. We will keep you informed of any changes that are made.

9 Are the Scheme benefits protected? As the Scheme is set up by statute, payment of the Scheme benefits is guaranteed by law.

10 What happens if i get divorced are my pension rights affected?
Under the LGPS, if you get divorced, you may wish to note that:

your ex-wife or ex-husband will cease to be entitled to a widow’s or widower’s pension should you predecease them.

any children’s pension payable in the event of your death will not be affected by your divorce.

If you nominated your ex-wife or ex-husband to receive any death grant payable, your nomination will remain in force until you change it. The Court may, however, issue an Earmarking Order stating that all or part of any lump sum death grant is payable to your ex-spouse.

Our FAQ's Page

Comments About This Site

Contacting the Fund ~ by letter, fax, telephone or email ~ How Can We Help?

Have Any Comments About The Service We Provide?

A-Z of Site Content At Your Service Fund Publications

Pension Fund Investment What's new on this site

PENSION FUND HOME PAGE

Disclaimer ~ Please Read This Notice >>>
While every care has been taken in the compilation of this information and every attempt made to present up-to-date and accurate information, we cannot guarantee that inaccuracies will not occur. Wolverhampton Council will not be held responsible for any loss, damage or inconvenience caused as a result of any inaccuracy or error within these pages. Many links from our site lead to pages maintained by other organisations. These are provided purely for your convenience. They do not imply that the Council endorses or supports those organisations, the information on their pages, or their products or services in any way. No responsibility is assumed by the Council for the contents of their pages.
Data Protection ~ You and the City Council >>>
Copyright © Wolverhampton City Council 2005.

	Question	Answer:

1	Do I need to tell you if I change address?	Yes! Your employer will not automatically tell us, and if you are already in receipt of a pension, we will need your address to send your payslip to you! If you are a preserved beneficiary we will need an address to write to you when your benefits become payable, we will also need it to send you regular updates of the value of your benefits between now and retirement. Change of address >>>

2	What happens if I leave the scheme?	The benefits of the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) are based on your service within the scheme. When we have been informed by your employer that you have left the scheme, we will write to you and inform you of the benefits that you have been awarded. All About Your Deferred Benefits Booklet (pdf file) >>>

3	Can I have a refund ?	Refunds are only payable if you have less than three months LGPS membership (any transfer of pension rights may prevent a refund ~ regardless of the length of service within the LGPS prior to the transfer.

4	How can I increase my benefits?	To increase the value of the benefits that you and your dependants receive, you may: Pay additional LGPS contributions to purchase additional years of membership. Make an additional voluntary contributions (AVC) arrangement. Repay a previous refund of LGPS contributions. Contribute to a concurrent personal pension plan or stakeholder pension scheme Prudential AVC website >>> Increasing your benefits >>> Increasing your pension benefits (a guide) >>>

5	Can I opt-out of the LGPS?	You can leave the LGPS at any time by giving your employer notice in writing. An election to opt-out becomes effective from the end of the payment period during which you gave notification, unless your notification specifies a date later than the date the notification was made. You are recommended to obtain advice before opting-out of the LGPS. If you opt-out within three months of joining you will be treated as not having been a member of the LGPS during that period, but will be treated as having opted-out of the LGPS. The contributions that you have paid will be refunded by your employer after the arrears of National Insurance contributions and tax, due as a result of not being a member of the LGPS, are deducted. If you opt-out after three months the same options are available to you as detailed in the section on Leaving your Present Job before Retirement.

6	Can I re-join the LGPS at a later date?	If you opt-out once, you can re-join the LGPS at any time. If you opt-out of the LGPS more than once, unless you elect to re-join the Scheme within three months of commencing work with a new employer, you will only be allowed to re-join at the discretion of your employer. You should ask your employer what their policy is on this matter.

7	Who runs the LGPS?	The LGPS is run by administering authorities, for example County Councils, in accordance with regulations approved by Parliament. Each administers their own Fund, into which all contributions are paid. Every three years, independent actuaries carry out a valuation of each Fund and set the rate at which the participating employers must contribute to fully fund the payment of Scheme benefits for that Fund's membership.

8	How is the Scheme amended?	The Scheme regulations are made under the Superannuation Act 1972. Changes to the rules are discussed at national level by employee and employer representatives but can only be amended with the approval of Parliament. We will keep you informed of any changes that are made.

9	Are the Scheme benefits protected?	As the Scheme is set up by statute, payment of the Scheme benefits is guaranteed by law.

10	What happens if i get divorced are my pension rights affected?	Under the LGPS, if you get divorced, you may wish to note that: your ex-wife or ex-husband will cease to be entitled to a widow’s or widower’s pension should you predecease them. any children’s pension payable in the event of your death will not be affected by your divorce. If you nominated your ex-wife or ex-husband to receive any death grant payable, your nomination will remain in force until you change it. The Court may, however, issue an Earmarking Order stating that all or part of any lump sum death grant is payable to your ex-spouse.