Pensions

Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)

A workplace pension is a valuable part of your pay and reward package, and at Suffolk County Council we think ours is something to shout about.

The pension scheme we offer to our employees is the Local Government Pension Scheme (also referred to as the LGPS). The LGPS is one of the largest pension schemes in the UK and offers a guaranteed future income every year when you retire/stop working.

It’s a defined benefit pension scheme which means your pension is based on your salary and how long you pay into the scheme and, unlike some schemes, the LGPS is not affected by share prices and stock market fluctuations.

Once you take your pension it will also go up in line with inflation, protecting you from rising prices and in the rare event of deflation, your pension wouldn’t be decreased meaning it would be likely that you would be better off.

Other benefits of the scheme include:

• No hidden fees or charges - you simply pay a percentage of your pay every month based on the amount you earn (details of current contribution rates can be found on the Suffolk Pension Fund website).
• Options to decrease or increase your pension contributions.
• Tax relief on your contributions - including extra amounts you pay to top up your benefits.
• The option to take a lump sum when you retire which, in most cases, will be tax-free.
• Employer contributions based on the amount you earn.
• Protection if you need to take your benefits early through ill health or if you’re made redundant over the age of 55.
• Peace of mind for your family with immediate life cover of three years actual pay and a pension for your spouse, civil partner or eligible cohabiting partner, as well as eligible children.
• A self-service system that enables you to view all aspects of your pension, including running various calculations to show estimations of the pension you can expect to receive.

If you meet the criteria set out in the LGPS regulations, you’ll automatically be enrolled into the pension scheme when you start your job without the need to do anything (you can opt-out if you wish). If you decide to stay in the scheme your contributions will then be automatically deducted from your pay each month and paid into the pension fund along with the employers’ contribution from Suffolk County Council.

Visit the LGPS website for more information, including information about contribution rates, videos, and other resources about how pensions work.

Other Pension Schemes

Some staff may be eligible to join or transfer their existing pension to one of the following schemes:

• Teachers Pension Scheme,
• NHS Pension Scheme,
• National Employment Savings Trust (NEST) Pension Scheme,
• Firefighter Pension Scheme.