Pension discretions

The Commission for Local Administration in England (the Commission) as an employer is under a duty to prepare certain discretionary policies under the LGPS Regulations 2008. These must be published and kept under review.

The proposed discretionary policies relating to increase of service or pension, early payment of benefits and flexible retirement are below:

Increase of Service/Pension - during employment or upon leaving

The Commission will award discretionary added service or additional pension only with the prior approval of the Chairman and only where there is a clear financial or operational advantage to be gained by the Commission by so doing. 

Subject to the Chairman’s approval, the Commission will award added service or additional pension upon recruitment only if it has experienced recruitment difficulty for the specific post and if the award of such service will secure a suitable recruit.

Early payment of benefits under flexible retirement provisions following members request to receive all or part of their benefits, after age 55

Any request for early payment of retirement benefits under flexible retirement rules will be considered on an individual basis. Requests will be allowed only where there is a clear operational or financial advantage to be gained by the Commission by so doing. Further that any decisions regarding such payment are, within the above policy, delegated to the Chairman.

Early Payment of benefits on members request between age 55 and 59

Any request for early payment of benefits received from a current employee will be considered on an individual basis. Requests will be allowed only with the consent of the Chairman and only if there is a clear financial or operational advantage for the Commission in so doing. A request for early payment of deferred benefits other than on grounds of permanent ill-health or compassion received from a person who was last a member of the Fund as a Commission employee at some time after 31 March 1998, will be accepted only where there is no financial disadvantage to the Commission.

A request for early unreduced payment of benefits on compassionate grounds (ie waiving of percentage reduction in respect of early retirement on compassionate grounds), will be considered only where the former member is prevented from full-time working due to the need to care for a dependant. Further that decisions regarding early payment of deferred benefits are, within the above policy, delegated to the Chairman.

Human Resources

Date Updated: 18/05/11