Your active pension update is now available by logging into SPFOnline.
Active members who prefer hard copies have been mailed with their pension update to the home address we hold on our records.
If you are an active member who has not received any communication from us, it could be that we do not hold a current address for you, or that we have an out of date address for you.
Please get in touch via benstat@glasgow.gov.uk
We always recommend that members who move advise us of their new address.
Fund News 2020, our annual newsletter for acive members, is available from our website here.
You can update your address by logging into your online pension account at SPFOnline.org.uk
If you are not signed up to SPFOnline, you should send an email to benstat@glasgow.gov.uk with the following information:
This cannot be updated online.
Please complete this form and email to benstat@glasgow.gov.uk
Only members who joined the scheme prior to 01/04/2009, receive an automatic lump sum.
From state pension age (You can check your SPA here) you can fully retire and receive your benefits with no reductions. From age 55 you can choose to fully retire, but this will reduce your benefits if you are not 60 and may reduce your benefits if you are 60 and you do not have protection under The Rule of 85.
If you are interested in flexible retirement, you will need to obtain your employer's permission.
From 1 April 2015 you build up a pension of 1/49th of your pay in your Pension Account each year.
Your Pension Account is revalued each year by the Consumer Prices Index up to your date of retirement.
The total pension in your Pension Account is adjusted at your date of retirement if you do not retire at your state pension age (min 65).
Up to 31 March 2015 the LGPS was a final salary pension scheme. This means the payment you get for service up to that date is based on your final year's pensionable pay and your total length of membership.
Up to 31 March 2009 the annual pension payment is worked out by dividing your final pay by 80 and multiplying this by your total membership.
To work out your lump sum for service up to 31 March 2009 divide your final salary by 80, multiply this by your total membership, and then multiply the final figure by 3.
For any service after 31 March 2009 to 31 March 2015, your annual pension will be worked out by dividing your final pay by 60, and you will have the option to take part of this as a lump sum.
Yes, if you take your benefits before the normal pension date that applies for those benefits, they will be reduced. You can find a table showing reductions to pension and lump sum here
Reductions may not apply if you have Rule of 85 protection and are 60 or over.
If you are aged 55 (50 if you were a member as at 6 April 2006) or over and have at least two years' total membership, you will receive your pension and lump sum immediately with no reduction for early payment.
Note: any gap in LGPS membership after 5 April 2006 means you need to be 55 to have a redundancy retirement.
Any enquiries regarding this type of retirement should be directed to your employer.
Flexible retirement is available for members from age 55 and allows you to access your pension benefits whilst continuing to work in your employment. In order to access your benefits you are required to reduce either your working hours or grade in line with your employers' policy. Each employer has their own individual policy on flexible retirement and you should contact your employer for further information.
Please click here for information
Any enquiries regarding this type of retirement should be directed to your employer.
You will receive a Pension update for each period of membership held in the scheme.
If you are currently contributing to the scheme your Pension Update for this period of membership will be available in August 2020.
Please contact your employer 3 months prior to your intended retirement date. This will insure that we have sufficient time to have your pension options provided to you and no delay in payment.
Yes, you can elect to take up to 25% of your overall pension pot as a tax free lump sum.
No, it is not possible to convert your automatic lump sum to pension.
Details of your state pension can be found here
This option is not available in the Local Government Pension Scheme. More information can be found here.
No your deferred update does not show your Additional Voluntary Contributions (AVCs)
Pension debits are not shown in the yearly pension quoted on your statement. The current value of any debits is calculated in the Personal Details area of your statement.
Your deferred benefits can be paid early if you become permanently unable to do the job in which you built up your deferred benefits. To apply, email us at spfo@glasgow.gov.uk confirming the following information:
If you have previous LGPS rights, it is very important that you contact us, as there are LGPS rules that we have to apply if you do not provide us with any instructions and applying these rules may not be to your advantage.
You may be able to transfer pension rights into the LGPS from any other public sector scheme provided that you ask within 12 months of joining.
Yes, you can pay extra to increase your pension either by paying additional contributions to buy an increased LGPS pension known as Additional Pension Contributions (APCs) or by making Additional Voluntary Contributions (AVCs).
Our AVC scheme is administered for us by Prudential and details are available on their website or you can the Prudential on 0800 032 6674.
A death grant is payable, as well as a spouse's pension and children's pension, where appropriate.
From your rights as an active, deferred and pensioner member, only one (the highest) death grant right is paid. You do not receive a separate death grant payment from each type of membership.
To protect your loved ones, make sure you have nominated them. You can make and update your nominations using SPFOnline. Alternatively you can fill in a Nomination Form .
If you fail to nominate someone for any lump sum death benefit, it might take longer for the payment to be made. The person receiving the lump sum might also have to pay inheritance tax if they've not been nominated using the form.