Who can join?

The LGPS covers employees working in local government and for other organisations that have chosen to participate in it. To be able to join the LGPS, you need to be under age 75 and work for an employer that offers membership of the Scheme.

If you are employed by a body such as a town or parish council or by a non-local government organisation which participates in the scheme, you can only join if your employer nominates you for membership of the scheme.

If you start a job in which you are eligible for membership you will automatically join the scheme unless your contract of employment is for less than three months. If your contract is for less than three months, you can elect to join by completing an opt-in form.

If you don’t elect to join, you may still become a member automatically if your employer:

  • extends your contract so that it is for longer than three months, you will join the Scheme from the pay period after your contract is extended.
  • must enrol you into the Scheme under the Government automatic enrolment provisions. Your employer must do so if you are an eligible jobholder, unless your employer decides to postpone the date you join. 

An eligible jobholder is a worker who is age 22 or over, under State Pension Age who earns more than £10,000 a year. 

If you join the Scheme, you have the right to opt out. You can complete an opt out form once you have started your employment.

How will I know that I have joined the LGPS?

On joining the LGPS, relevant records and a pension account will be set up and an official notification of your membership of the LGPS will be sent to you. If you have more than one employment in the Scheme, a pension account will be set up for each one. 

You should check your payslip to make sure that pension contributions are being deducted.

What you need to do when you join?

Your employer will send you a Welcome to the LGPS - New Member Pack 

It contains the following forms to complete and return to us:

  • Pension scheme membership form (LGPS01) – send this to the Avon Pension Fund
  • Transfer enquiry authorisation (LGPS01A) - if you would like the Avon Pension Fund to investigate the possibility of transferring your previous pension rights into your LGPS – send this to us.
  • Death grant expression of wish form (LGPS19) – to nominate the beneficiaries of your death grant – send this to the Avon Pension Fund
  • Nomination of cohabiting partner for survivor’s pension (LGPS19A) if applicable – send this to the Avon Pension Fund

You are also required to sign up to my pension online to access your pension record.