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Welcome to the Local Government Pension Scheme

If you are a new employee who is eligible to join the LGPS you will automatically be entered into the scheme when your start, providing:

  • you are under age 75, or;
  • you work for an employer that allows you to join the scheme

Your employer will set the contribution rate to be paid in line with the LGPS regulations contribution salary bandings which you can find on our members Contributions Webpage. Most employers provide details of the rate you are paying within your pay advice.

Please visit our ‘Your Pension Scheme‘ webpage for information on the benefits of being a member of the LGPS both in written and video format.

Welcome Pack

Once we have received and uploaded your employment information provided by your employer, we will send you a welcome pack. It will include an activation key to sign up to our secure online Member Self Service portal along with the following documents:

  • Pension Membership booklet (Version June 2021)
  • Benefits of joining the LGPS leaflet
  • Re-joining the LGPS Guide (if you have previously contributed to the LGPS you should have already received/will receive shortly, pension details relating to your previous job/contract)

Upon receipt of the welcome pack there are a few things for you to do to complete membership:

  • 1. Sign up to Member Self Service
    1. Sign up to Member Self Service

    We will keep in touch with you by email, and via the Peninsula Pensions Member Self Service area of our website (unless you were a member of the scheme before 31 March 2015 and you chose to continue to receive correspondence by post). We recommend that you use your personal email for MSS so that you are kept informed even when not at work. Your employer is also asked to provide this to us to assist with sign up.

    To register for Member Self Service, simply click on the link provided or locate the member login button in the top right corner of any page on the website. This will take you to the Member Self Service page. The setup process is designed to be intuitive, but you’ll need an activation code from the pensions team for finalise your application.

    If you are already signed up for MSS for another job / previous contract within the LGPS Devon or Somerset Funds, you do not need to take further action.

    Your new record will be available to view alongside any existing pension records you hold for other jobs.

    As part of the sign up process, we use facial recognition technology. You will be asked to upload a photo of your driving licence or passport and take a photo for comparison. Please be assured that this is a secure form of identification, meaning your data will be protected and will not be used for any other purpose. 

  • 3. Return Form A - in all cases

    Please complete form A in the Pension Membership Booklet to the best of your ability and return via the online upload facility on the MSS portal or by using the pre-paid envelope provided.

  • Previous Pensions

    Previous Pensions (LGPS)

    The starter pack will include a form to confirm if you have had any previous LGPS pension rights either with Peninsula Pensions, or elsewhere. If you have any pre-2014 employment, this should be made clear as soon as possible.

    Peninsula Pensions provides information in accordance with statutory guidelines . For transfers in quotations this is within 2 months of the request being received, unless supplied within the previous 12 months.  

    Please visit the Transferring in a previous pension pages on the LGPS website to for more details or get in touch with peninsula Pensions.

    Previous Pensions (Non-LGPS)

    It may be possible for you to transfer a previous non-LGPS pension (such as a public service, occupational or personal pension) into your current LGPS pension account, subject to certain criteria. It is not possible to transfer a pension credit into the LGPS awarded by a Court under a Pensions Sharing Order.

    You must make a written request within 12 months of joining the LGPS (unless your employer allows you longer).  If you have changed contract with the same employer and you have continuous service, or if you have opted out and re-joined at a later date in the same role, the 12-month window commences from the date of your first/original contract within the LGPS.

    What you need to do if you are interested in transferring in a Non-LGPS Pension

    • Ask your previous pension provider for a Cash Equivalent Transfer Value (CETV) and associated discharge forms.
    • Send this information to us as soon as you receive it, including the discharge forms; we will not use them to transfer benefits without your permission. You can send us this by using the upload function on Member Self-Service
    • We will send you an estimate of the extra service or pension amount that your transfer will provide. When making your decision whether to go ahead with the transfer, we strongly recommend that you seek independent financial advice first.

    The McCloud Judgement (Remedy)

    When the Government reformed public service pension schemes in 2014 and 2015, they added safeguards for existing members. In December 2018, the Court of Appeal decided that younger members in the judges’ and firefighters’ pension schemes were treated unfairly because of these safeguards.

    The McCloud Judgement is a ruling that affected all public sector pension plans, including the LGPS (Local Government Pension Scheme). As a result of this ruling, changes were made to these pension schemes, referred to as the McCloud Remedy.

    Further information regarding the McCloud Remedy can be found on the LGPS Members’ Website.

    If you believe you are eligible for this protection because of your previous membership in the LGPS or another public sector pension scheme before 1st April 2012, and during the remedy period, please can we ask that you supply use with the relevant service details.

    Please keep in mind that if you qualify for underpin protection, it might not impact the value of your benefits. The benefits you have in the career average scheme (CARE) could be higher than what you would have accumulated in the final salary scheme.

    • We hope you are happy with our service, but if you are dissatisfied with any of the information provided relating to the above pension scheme, you may in the first instance, wish to make any complaint in writing to Peninsula Pensions at the address below, and we will aim for resolve the situation informally with you.

    If you have any questions on the above information, please do not hesitate to contact us.

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