Flexible Retirement

Once you have attained the age of 55, your employer can use a discretion to allow you to receive all or part of your benefits built up to date whilst remaining in the pension scheme and continuing in employment at a reduced grade or with reduced hours of work, thereby avoiding the need to work full-time until the age of 65.

Under flexible retirement pension contributions continue to be deducted on your reduced earnings, therefore you continue to build up an additional period of pension entitlement until such time as you leave your employment or fully retire from that position.

Benefits paid early in this way may be subject to a reduction although your employer has the discretion to reduce, or waive altogether, any reduction applied.

Your employer must include in their policy statement, details as to how they intend to use this discretion available to them under the Local Government Pension Scheme regulations.