Advice please - pension lump sum

Pammybun

Hi

I am hoping that someone can give a bit of advice.

My husband is 59 and was "retired" from his previous job with a local council 13 years ago. It was a political decision and since then he has been receiving a pension from them.

Our query is that is it still possible for him to ask for a lump sum on his pension or does it only apply for people who have not yet claimed their pension.

The leaflet provided by the pension administrator is not very clear as it says that you can claim up to 25% as a lump sum but does not clarify our question. It is a local authority pension scheme.

We appreciate that lump sum payments are not for everyone but my husband has other private schemes in place for later on in life and, in our cirucumstances, a lump sum at present would be beneficial.

Thanks

Pam

seven-day-weekend

Didn't he get a lump sum at the time he started drawing his pension? That's when you normally get it.

Pammybun

Hi, no he didn't - maybe it was because he was only 46 at the time and would not have qualified. He has just been getting the pension.

seven-day-weekend

Sorry, then that is out of my depth. Hopefully some of the experts will be able to give you more advice.

Pixieboy

Hi,
was it the Local Government Pension Scheme he was in?
If so, I'm a bit puzzled; if he was only 46 when he 'retired' and he has been receiving a pension ever since he must have retired on grounds of permanent ill health. If that is the case there would have been an automatic lump sum payment UNLESS he converted the lump sum into additional pension.

If it wasn't permanent ill health then the payments that have been made can't be pension... but I can't think what a local authority would be allowed to pay in this way.

Some more information, based on what the pension administrator has sent him, at the point payment commenced and anything more recent if he is nearing 60, would be helpful.

seven-day-weekend

Pixieboy, that's why I was puzzled to, as the LGPS would only pay out at the age of 46 if it was ill-health retirement and if this is the case he would, as you have said, received the Lump Sum.

I think this payment must be something 'other' than a Pension, but I can't imagine what?

OP, do you have any paperwork about it to say what it is?

Pixieboy

Not that it makes things any clearer, but was the authority one in Scotland?
I only ask as the Scottish LGPS is covered by different legislation to the English/Welsh LGPS.
The Scottish Scheme isn't really my area, but I didn't think they were significantly different back in the day...

JA1000

Pammybun wrote: »

Hi, no he didn't - maybe it was because he was only 46 at the time and would not have qualified. He has just been getting the pension.

If he has just been getting the pension - what was the income from 46?