Taking your pension and death benefits
Your deferred benefits are normally payable from your ‘normal pension age’, which, depending on when you joined and left the Scheme, can be anything from age 60 to the later of your State Pension age or age 65.
In addition, you can now take your deferred benefits from age 55 and you don’t need your former Scheme employer’s consent to do so (though benefits paid before your normal pension age may be reduced for early payment).
For more information on your ‘normal pension age’ and when you can take your benefits, please visit www.eapf.org.uk/resources/publications to view our ‘When can I take my LGPS pension’ factsheet.
See our section on accessing your deferred benefits on ill health grounds.
If you have passed your NPA, then your deferred pension benefits with the Environment Agency Pension Fund (EAPF) are payable immediately.
Members who’ve left before 1 April 1998:
If you left before 1 April 1998 and you’re over your NPA, you can no longer defer your benefits. This means you must receive the payment of your deferred benefits, and, therefore, you’ll need to contact us to take them.
Your benefits will consist of an annual pension, together with an automatic tax free lump sum. There’s also the option to give up some of your pension to increase your lump sum and in some cases, you may have the option to give up some of your lump sum to increase your pension. Plus, you’ll receive an arrears of pension payment because of the backdating to your NPA. Once your pension is paid, it will then be increased each April to take account of inflation.
Members who’ve left on or after 1 April 1998:
If you left on or after 1 April 1998 and you don’t want to take your benefits at this time, you must get in contact with us in writing and request to defer taking your benefits. Your benefits will consist of an annual pension and, depending on when you joined the LGPS, you may also be entitled to an automatic tax free lump sum. There’s also the option to give up some of your pension to increase your tax free lump sum (or generate a tax free lump sum if you joined the scheme after 31 March 2008). Once your pension is paid, it will then increase each April to take account of inflation.
If you’re unsure of whether you should take or defer your pension, you can visit the MoneyHelper website. MoneyHelper is a free, independent service set up by government. They give clear, unbiased money advice to help you make informed choices. MoneyHelper also explains about the different types of professional advice available and can help you find an independent financial advisor (IFA) in your area. Visit the MoneyHelper website at www.moneyhelper.org.uk
If you want to find out how much your benefits are worth, or if you wish to claim your benefits, please contact Capita using the details shown at the end of this guide or visit www.eapf.org.uk/contact
You can obtain early payment of your deferred benefits if it’s on the grounds of permanent ill health and your former employer agrees to it.
You can apply for payment of your deferred benefits at any age, without reductions, if, because of your health, you’d be permanently incapable of doing the job you were working in when you left the LGPS; if you left the LGPS after 31 March 2008, there’s a further requirement that you’re unlikely to be capable of undertaking any gainful employment:
Within 3 years of applying for the benefit; or
Before your normal pension age (NPA), if you reach your NPA within 3 years of applying for the benefit
Under the Scheme rules, ‘gainful employment’ means paid employment for at least 30 hours per week for a period of at least 12 months.
Finally, if your pension is put into payment on ill health grounds and:
You’re 55 or more, or you’re under 55 and you’re deemed incapable of carrying out regular full time employment before your NPA -Your pension and any lump sum payable will include the cumulative cost of living revaluation to date, plus cost of living revaluation being applied every year thereafter
You’re under 55 and you’re deemed capable of carrying out regular full time employment before your NPA – Your pension and any lump sum payable will not include the cumulative cost of living revaluation. However, on reaching age 55, cumulative cost of living revaluation will be applied to that date (with no arrears payable), plus cost of living revaluation being applied every year thereafter.
The rules around these benefits changed several times in the period up to 1 April 2008. More information about the earlier rules (i.e. if you stopped contributing before 1 April 2008) can be found at www.eapf.org.uk
The following paragraphs outline the position if you left after 31 March 2008.
A lump sum death grant of 5 times your deferred annual pension will be payable. The EAPF has absolute discretion to decide who to make payment to, but will normally take your wishes into account.
You can tell us who you’d like a death grant lump sum to be paid to. It’s important that you keep this up to date if your circumstances change.
If you’ve not completed a death grant Expression of Wish nomination form (Pen 16) and you would like to do so, or if you wish to change your existing nomination, the easiest way to do this is by logging into EAPF Online.
See our ‘Additional Points’ section for more information about our EAPF Online portal.
If you don’t want to complete an online form, you can download a paper ‘Expression of Wish’ form at www.eapf.org.uk/resources/forms
A pension will be paid to your spouse (including same sex marriages), registered civil partner or, subject to certain qualifying conditions, your cohabiting partner. This pension is payable immediately after your death for the rest of their life and will be revalued every April to keep pace with the cost of living.
Pensions are payable to eligible children and are revalued every April to keep pace with the cost of living.
