Earliest retirement date change in April 2028, am I affected?

Spanieldad308gt4

Hi there,

Apologies for the lengthy first post.

Hopefully someone can offer advice if they've perhaps asked the same question and had a more informative answers than my local government pension service was able to give me.

Basically, I have been in my LGPS since around 1993.

Earliest Stated pension age to take benefits always stated as 55 years old.

I'm aware the rules are changing in April 2028 and 57 is the minimum age for taking private pensions.

My own provider hasnt been able to state that my 55 years old pension age is protected.

I have copied and pasted some information below for the Government website.

To me, this appears to be saying, that if I was in the pension scheme prior to 4th Nov 2021 and had the right to take my pension before age 57, I should still be able to do so.

 

Be interested to hear others perception of same.

PTM062215 - Member benefits: pensions: protected pension age: right to take benefits before age 57 - HMRC internal manual

Eligibility requirements

For a member to have a protected pension age under the scheme, all the following conditions must be met:

• before 4 November 2021 the member had the right to take a pension or lump sum, or both, before they reached age 57.
• that right was unqualified, in that the member doesn’t need anyone’s consent to take their benefits. PTM062210 explains more about what is meant by an unqualified right
• on 11 February 2021 the scheme rules included provision to pay benefits before age 57.

 

These requirements are known under the legislation as the 'entitlement condition'. Where these conditions are met, the member’s protected pension age under the scheme will be the age at which they have the right to take benefits immediately before 4 November 2021.

Spanieldad308gt4

Meant to add, I will be 55 middle of May 2028.

hugheskevi

This page makes clear you would have a protected minimum pension age of 55.

8. LGPS regulations as at 11 February 2021 did confer the right to take pension benefits from age 55 to all members, and so the second and third conditions are met. If the member was in the LGPS immediately before 4 November 2021, meeting the first condition, the member will therefore have a PPA. There are also other circumstances where a member would have a PPA, such as by transferring an entire pension arrangement into the LGPS from a relevant registered pension scheme where the member previously had an actual or prospective right to take pension benefits from an age before 57.

Spanieldad308gt4

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81960757#Comment_81960757

Thanks for that.

Yes, its certainly sounding more like I will be able to retire in may 28'.

I'm disapointed that i received such a vague reply when i enquired to the pension adminstrator myself.

Spanieldad308gt4

I should of said also, I am in Scotland.

hyubh

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81960785#Comment_81960785

From a SPPA circular (SPPA act as the scheme manager for the Scottish LGPS):

Protected Pension Age (PPA)

The Finance Act 2004 provides transitional protection against the increase in the
NMPA to certain members through a PPA.

A member may qualify for a PPA in relation to a specific scheme. This means that
the scheme may allow the member to access their pension benefits before age 57
after 5 April 2028. Schemes are not required to provide this option.

In general, most members of the LGPS(S) who joined before 4 November 2021 will
qualify for a PPA of 55 in relation to the LGPS(S). The PPA will apply to LGPS(S)
benefits built up before 2028 and also to benefits built up after then.

However, the same circular stresses a continued right to drawing benefits from age 55 is dependent on a change to the scheme regulations, referring to a consultation on this 'later in 2025' which I don't think has yet happened.

https://pensions.gov.scot/sites/default/files/2025-08/2025-04_LGPS_Circular_-_Increase_to_normal_minimum_pension_age_from_6_April_2028.pdf