Skip to content

Deferred members: Annual Benefit Statements

Your LGPS journey, summarised annually

If you have left the employment connected to your LGPS pension or opted out (i.e. your membership in the scheme ended, and on that date, you had accrued 2 years or more membership), you will have a deferred benefit in the scheme.

Your annual benefit statement shows the estimated current value of the benefits you hold in Gloucestershire Pension Fund, including the increase in line with inflation, and what date it is normally paid from (your normal retirement date).

 

ABS guide for deferred members

If the date your membership ended was on or after 1 April 2014, then the “Scheme benefits normally payable from” date shown above represents your current State Retirement Age. Please note that should the government make any future changes to State Retirement Age, this date will also change accordingly.

If the date your membership ended was before 1 April 2014, then the “Scheme benefits normally payable from” date shown above will not be affected should the Government make any future changes to State Retirement Age, whilst this benefit remains continuously deferred. 

If you built up pension benefits before and after 1 April 2014, the final salary element of your pension benefits has been actuarially increased within the annual pension figure for the purpose of this statement to show the value of benefits at a single date (the date your CARE benefits are due in full).

If the date your membership ended was on or after 1 April 2014, then the “Scheme benefits normally payable from” date shown above represents your current State Retirement Age. Please note that should the government make any future changes to State Retirement Age, this date will also change accordingly.

If the date your membership ended was before 1 April 2014, then the “Scheme benefits normally payable from” date shown above will not be affected should the Government make any future changes to State Retirement Age, whilst this benefit remains continuously deferred. 

If you built up pension benefits before and after 1 April 2014, the final salary element of your pension benefits has been actuarially increased within the annual pension figure for the purpose of this statement to show the value of benefits at a single date (the date your CARE benefits are due in full).

When the LGPS changed from a Final Salary to a CARE pension scheme in 2014, protections for older scheme members were introduced which were later determined to be age discriminatory. As such, the rules of the LGPS were amended from 1 October 2023 to extend the protections, with a resulting ‘McCloud Remedy’ coming into place. 

In the 2024/25 benefits statement, we identified which members we believed were eligible for this protection and, if they were, the value of any guarantee amount that currently applies. It is expected that very few members will be entitled to a “McCloud guarantee”, due primarily to the improvement in the LGPS’s accrual rate following the change in 2014 to a Career Average Revalued Earnings (CARE) scheme. However, please note the following:

  • Any “McCloud guarantee” amount shown is based on our current understanding of your LGPS membership and other relevant public service pensions.
  • Where the “McCloud guarantee” shows “Not applicable”, we believe that McCloud does not apply to this employment.
  • Should you have any concerns regarding the two bullet points above, please contact the Fund using the contact details provided in the accompanying documentation.
  • Any “McCloud guarantee” stated in your ABS is as estimated at 31 March 2025 and does not necessarily mean that it will still apply in the future.
  • Any guarantee amount will vary depending on the date you draw your pension benefits.

When the LGPS changed from a Final Salary to a CARE pension scheme in 2014, protections for older scheme members were introduced which were later determined to be age discriminatory. As such, the rules of the LGPS were amended from 1 October 2023 to extend the protections, with a resulting ‘McCloud Remedy’ coming into place. 

In the 2024/25 benefits statement, we identified which members we believed were eligible for this protection and, if they were, the value of any guarantee amount that currently applies. It is expected that very few members will be entitled to a “McCloud guarantee”, due primarily to the improvement in the LGPS’s accrual rate following the change in 2014 to a Career Average Revalued Earnings (CARE) scheme. However, please note the following:

  • Any “McCloud guarantee” amount shown is based on our current understanding of your LGPS membership and other relevant public service pensions.
  • Where the “McCloud guarantee” shows “Not applicable”, we believe that McCloud does not apply to this employment.
  • Should you have any concerns regarding the two bullet points above, please contact the Fund using the contact details provided in the accompanying documentation.
  • Any “McCloud guarantee” stated in your ABS is as estimated at 31 March 2025 and does not necessarily mean that it will still apply in the future.
  • Any guarantee amount will vary depending on the date you draw your pension benefits.

To ensure that you continue to receive future deferred ABSs and that we are able to contact you when your benefits become payable, it is very important that you inform the Gloucestershire Pension Fund immediately should you change your address. You can do this in one of the following ways by:

Logging onto the Engage portal and changing your address via the section ‘Details and Settings’.

Emailing us at pensions@gloucestershire.gov.uk.

Calling us on 01452 328888.

Or by post, to Gloucestershire Pension Fund, Shire Hall, Westgate Street, Gloucester, GL1 2TG.

For us to update your address, you will need to provide us with your name, NI Number, Date of Birth, your old address and new address, and answer any additional security questions we may ask.

To ensure that you continue to receive future deferred ABSs and that we are able to contact you when your benefits become payable, it is very important that you inform the Gloucestershire Pension Fund immediately should you change your address. You can do this in one of the following ways by:

Logging onto the Engage portal and changing your address via the section ‘Details and Settings’.

Emailing us at pensions@gloucestershire.gov.uk.

Calling us on 01452 328888.

Or by post, to Gloucestershire Pension Fund, Shire Hall, Westgate Street, Gloucester, GL1 2TG.

For us to update your address, you will need to provide us with your name, NI Number, Date of Birth, your old address and new address, and answer any additional security questions we may ask.

If you re-join the LGPS (or have already re-joined since 1 April 2014) in another Fund in England and Wales, then you must (if you have not already done so):

  1. Notify the Administering Authority of the Fund in which you are an active member that you have a deferred benefit in another LGPS Fund in England and Wales.
  2. Notify Gloucestershire Pension Fund in writing that you are an active member in another LGPS Fund in England or Wales.
  3. Notify the Administering Authority of the Fund in which you are an active member of any intervening service in any other public service pension scheme (even if a refund of contributions has been received in respect of that service).

Points 1 and 2 must be completed to ensure you’re offered the correct aggregation option. If point 3 is not followed, you may lose access to certain statutory rights, such as the final salary link for members who aggregate pre 1 April 2014 LGPS membership from England or Wales.

If you re-join the LGPS (or have already re-joined since 1 April 2014) in another Fund in England and Wales, then you must (if you have not already done so):

  1. Notify the Administering Authority of the Fund in which you are an active member that you have a deferred benefit in another LGPS Fund in England and Wales.
  2. Notify Gloucestershire Pension Fund in writing that you are an active member in another LGPS Fund in England or Wales.
  3. Notify the Administering Authority of the Fund in which you are an active member of any intervening service in any other public service pension scheme (even if a refund of contributions has been received in respect of that service).

Points 1 and 2 must be completed to ensure you’re offered the correct aggregation option. If point 3 is not followed, you may lose access to certain statutory rights, such as the final salary link for members who aggregate pre 1 April 2014 LGPS membership from England or Wales.

Enclosed in your ABS is a leaflet which the Pensions Regulator (TPR) has produced to raise awareness of pension scams. 

If you have any concerns, details of who to contact are provided in the leaflet.

Enclosed in your ABS is a leaflet which the Pensions Regulator (TPR) has produced to raise awareness of pension scams. 

If you have any concerns, details of who to contact are provided in the leaflet.

Gloucestershire Pension Fund continues to take an active part in the National Fraud Initiative, and where discrepancies are found, investigations will be made.

Gloucestershire County Council has a duty of care to protect the public fund it administers, and to this end may use the information held about you for the purposes of prevention and detection of fraud. It may also share this information with other bodies responsible for auditing or administering public funds for these purposes.

For further information on how we use your data, please see our privacy notice .

Gloucestershire Pension Fund continues to take an active part in the National Fraud Initiative, and where discrepancies are found, investigations will be made.

Gloucestershire County Council has a duty of care to protect the public fund it administers, and to this end may use the information held about you for the purposes of prevention and detection of fraud. It may also share this information with other bodies responsible for auditing or administering public funds for these purposes.

For further information on how we use your data, please see our privacy notice .

 

ABS FAQ for deferred members

All LGPS deferred members can currently choose to take early payment of their deferred benefits at any time from age 55* (with an appropriate reduction to account for early payment**) without requiring their former employer’s consent.

*The earliest payment date will change to age 57 from 6 April 2028 (although some transitional protections may apply).

**Appropriate reduction to account for early payment 
If you choose to take your deferred benefits earlier than your Normal Pension Age (NPA) they will normally be reduced to take account of the fact that your pension will be paid for longer. How much your deferred benefits are reduced by depends on how early you take them. The reduction is based on the length of time (in years and days), between the date you take them and the date your deferred benefit would ordinarily be due for payment without a reduction for early payment (i.e. your NPA). If you are unsure when your NPA is you should check your Annual Benefit Statement. 
The early reduction factors are set by the Government and can vary from time to time. The current factors can be found on the national LGPS member website .

All LGPS deferred members can currently choose to take early payment of their deferred benefits at any time from age 55* (with an appropriate reduction to account for early payment**) without requiring their former employer’s consent.

*The earliest payment date will change to age 57 from 6 April 2028 (although some transitional protections may apply).

**Appropriate reduction to account for early payment 
If you choose to take your deferred benefits earlier than your Normal Pension Age (NPA) they will normally be reduced to take account of the fact that your pension will be paid for longer. How much your deferred benefits are reduced by depends on how early you take them. The reduction is based on the length of time (in years and days), between the date you take them and the date your deferred benefit would ordinarily be due for payment without a reduction for early payment (i.e. your NPA). If you are unsure when your NPA is you should check your Annual Benefit Statement. 
The early reduction factors are set by the Government and can vary from time to time. The current factors can be found on the national LGPS member website .

By logging onto your Engage portal, you can instantly obtain an estimate of retirement benefits at a time of choosing from age 55*.

Alternatively, in addition to providing the Annual Benefit Statements each year, we will provide one estimate in any twelve months where the expected date of retirement (i.e. date from which you wish your benefits to be payable from) is within the next 12 months. Please bear this in mind before contacting this office for information. 

If you are interested in receiving an estimate of the benefits due, and the date is within the next 12 months, please send your request in writing or by email. Please ensure that you confirm your Name, NI Number and/or Date of Birth in the communication. We will aim to send the information to you within 6 weeks of the date the request is received. 

*The earliest payment date will change to age 57 from 6 April 2028 (although some transitional protections may apply).

By logging onto your Engage portal, you can instantly obtain an estimate of retirement benefits at a time of choosing from age 55*.

Alternatively, in addition to providing the Annual Benefit Statements each year, we will provide one estimate in any twelve months where the expected date of retirement (i.e. date from which you wish your benefits to be payable from) is within the next 12 months. Please bear this in mind before contacting this office for information. 

If you are interested in receiving an estimate of the benefits due, and the date is within the next 12 months, please send your request in writing or by email. Please ensure that you confirm your Name, NI Number and/or Date of Birth in the communication. We will aim to send the information to you within 6 weeks of the date the request is received. 

*The earliest payment date will change to age 57 from 6 April 2028 (although some transitional protections may apply).

You should contact us in writing or by email approximately six weeks prior to the date you are looking to claim payment from. We will then send information of the options available to you together with the forms you will need to complete and return to claim payment of your benefits. 

You should contact us in writing or by email approximately six weeks prior to the date you are looking to claim payment from. We will then send information of the options available to you together with the forms you will need to complete and return to claim payment of your benefits. 

You can apply for early payment of your deferred benefits on medical grounds at any age, without reduction if, because of your health, you would be permanently incapable of the job you were working in when you left the LGPS. 

For more information on retiring on the grounds of ill health, see our retiring and estimates page.

Note: The decision regarding the early release of deferred benefits on the grounds of permanent ill health is one that your ex-employer is required to make under the Regulations (not Gloucestershire Pension Fund).

If you wish to make a request for early payment of your deferred benefits on the grounds of permanent ill health, you must therefore make your application in writing directly to your ex-employer.

You can apply for early payment of your deferred benefits on medical grounds at any age, without reduction if, because of your health, you would be permanently incapable of the job you were working in when you left the LGPS. 

For more information on retiring on the grounds of ill health, see our retiring and estimates page.

Note: The decision regarding the early release of deferred benefits on the grounds of permanent ill health is one that your ex-employer is required to make under the Regulations (not Gloucestershire Pension Fund).

If you wish to make a request for early payment of your deferred benefits on the grounds of permanent ill health, you must therefore make your application in writing directly to your ex-employer.

See our dedicated death benefits page for further information.

See our dedicated death benefits page for further information.