Scheduled Bodies

Information for Public Bodies, Universities and Further Education Colleges

How does the LGPS work?

The basics

The Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) is a defined benefit public sector pension scheme. The LGPS is mainly for local government employees or employees from companies working for or with local government.

The LGPS is one of the largest defined benefit schemes in the world with over 4.5 million members. Unlike other public sector schemes, the LGPS is a funded scheme, administered by 89 local pension funds, with total assets in excess of £200bn.

Each Fund is run by an 'administering authority' which has some discretion over how to administer the LGPS, locally, but the rules of the LGPS are largely set out in the following regulations:

  • The Local Government Pension Scheme Regulations 2013
  • The Local Government Pension Scheme Transitional Provisions, Savings and Amendment Regulations 2014
  • The Local Government Pension Scheme (Management and Investment of Funds) Regulations 2016

Funding

The LGPS is a funded scheme. This means that all contributions are invested to provide each fund with assets which pay benefits to members. Each employer is given a notional asset allocation.

Upon joining the Fund you would take responsibility for funding the pension benefits of your members, refered to as your  'liabilities'. The value of your notional assets against the value of your liabilities is known as the your 'funding position'.

Every three years a 'health check' of the Fund, known as the 'valuation', is carried out to assess the level of assets and liabilities held by each employer, at the date of the valuation. If you do not have enough notional assets to fund your liabilities you will have a 'pension deficit' and will need to pay extra contributions to cover the short fall. Academies benefit from a stabilised contribution rate, set by the Administering Authority. This prudent long term approach has been set in the interests of stability and affordability for Academies, as advised by the Fund Actuary.

Cessation of Academies in the LGPS is assumed to not be generally possible, as Scheduled Bodies are legally obliged to participate in the scheme, however, should you have no choice but to leave the Fund, a final valuation will be carried out. If the valuation confirms you have a pension deficit at that time, you will be expected to pay a final contribution into the Fund to cover that deficit, this is known as an 'exit payment'.

Employer pension contributions

The contributions paid into the Fund by employers varies from employer to employer and the contribution required from each is calculated by the Fund actuary.

When you first join the Fund, the actuary will calculate the contribution rate that you will be required to pay.  These rates are calculated to ensure that you have enough notional assets to match your liabilities, and will be reassessed every three years, at the valuation. As stated above Academies benefit from a stabilised contribution rate, and so you will not be required to pay more than this rate.

The next valuation of the Fund will take place in 2022 and new employer contribution rates will apply from 1 April 2023.

Member benefits

The LGPS is a career average scheme meaning that a member's benefits are based the amount of pensionable pay they earn each year. However, this was not always the case; before 1 April 2014 benefits were calculated using a member's final salary at the point they left the scheme and this continues to be the case for any benefits built up before that date.

Members who joined the LGPS before 1 April 2014 could have their pension based on three different calculations. The following is a summary of these calculations and for what period of membership they apply.

Pension benefits built up before 1 April 2008

Pensions built up before this date are based on 1/80th of a member's final salary multiplied by their membership before 1 April 2008. In addition to this, the benefits a member receives will also include an automatic tax-free lump sum worth 3 times their pension.

Final salary / 80 x Membership
+
Lump Sum

 

Pension benefits built up from 1 April 2008 to 31 March 2014

Benefits built up between these dates are based on 1/60th of a member's final salary multiplied by their membership between 1 April 2008 to 31 March 2014.

Final salary / 60 x Membership

 

Pension benefits built up from 1 April 2014

Benefits built up from 1 April 2014 are based on 1/49th of a member's pensionable pay, for each year of membership. At the end of each year, the benefits are then adjusted to take into account the cost of living. The same thing then happens for each year of membership.

Pensionable pay for the year / 49 + cost of living adjustment

 

Since 1 April, members have also had the option of joining the 50/50 section of the scheme. In this section of the scheme, benefits are based on 1/98th of a member's pensionable pay, for each year of membership in this section of the scheme. The benefits are still adjusted at the end of the year to take into account the cost of living.

Pensionable pay for the year / 98 + cost of living adjustment

Employer responsibilities

As an employer in the Fund, you will play a major role in the administration of the LGPS. This means that you will have a number of responsibilities. Full details, including deadlines and expectations, will be provided as part of the application process you must ensure that you have arrangements in place to fullful these responsibilities.

We can only provide a quality service to you and your members if these responsibilities are fulfilled quickly and accurately.

Your main responsibilities are:

  • determine the eligibility for scheme membership, bringing eligible employees into the LGPS and dealing with opt outs
  • notify us of new pensionable employees
  • notify us of any material changes to pensionable employees, such as changes in hours and absence information
  • process leavers, including retirements and deaths in service
  • process ill health cases
  • provide accurate contribution and membership data
  • collect and pay over employer and employee contributions and any additional voluntary contributions
  • make appropriate decisions when required and fulfill the employer role within the internal dispute resolution process
  • prepare, publish and periodically review your employer discretions policy.

How do I become an employer?

Scheduled bodies

Who can become a Scheduled body in the Fund?

Who can and can’t become an employer in the LGPS is set out in schedule 2 of the Local Government Pension Scheme Regulations 2013. Organisations listed in parts 1 and 2 of the schedule are known as ‘Scheduled bodies’ and automatically have the right to offer LGPS membership to eligible employees.

If you are listed in part 1 of the schedule you are required to enrol eligible employees into the LGPS.

This list includes but is not limited to:

  • County and District Council’s
  • Combined Authorities
  • Fire and Rescue Authorities
  • Police and Crime Commissioners
  • Chief Constables
  • Further and Higher Education Corporations
  • Sixth form colleges
  • Academies

If you are listed in part 2 of the schedule you are not required to offer the LGPS but can choose to offer membership to all or some of your employees. You will simply need to pass a resolution designating which employees are eligible to join the Scheme. Employers in this category are also known as ‘Designating’ or ‘Resolution’ bodies.

This list includes but is not limited to:

  • Parish Councils
  • Subsidiaries of County or District Councils
  • Other precepting authorities not listed in part 1

Please be aware that, for those listed in part 2, the LGPS is not the only option available to fulfill your duty of providing a workplace pension scheme. You should consider your options carefully before passing a resolution to offer the LGPS. 

What is the process for joining?
If you wish to participate in the LGPS and are one of the types of bodies listed above, you should contact us as early as possible, ahead of the date you need or wish to provide access to the LGPS for your employees.

We will need to collect data from you about any employees that will be eligible for membership of the LGPS on day one, set a contribution rate for you to pay and discuss any options available to you and any decisions that you will be required to make. Once all of this has been done, you will be able to offer the LGPS to your employees. If you are included in the second list and classed as a Designating body, you will also need to pass a resolution designating who will be eligible for the LGPS.

If you are included in the first list above and are classed as a Scheduled Body, you will be required to provide access to the LGPS as soon as you employ an eligible person.  If you are a Designating body the resolution will need to be passed by your trustees, full Council or company directors before you can participate in the LGPS. It is therefore important that all of the above has been completed in advance of the date you wish to begin participation. 

If you are reading this page, it is probably already time to contact us. You can do so now by emailing penemployers@westnorthants.gov.uk

Will it cost me anything to participate in the LGPS?

Yes, as an employer in the LGPS you will need to pay a contribution towards your employees’ pensions. This is in addition to contributions paid by employees themselves. As part of the onboarding process, we will inform you what this contribution rate needs to be.

In addition to paying employer contributions, there are other costs associated with joining and participating in the LGPS. The contribution rate is set by the Fund’s actuary

What information do I need to give you?

We will require a list of the members transferring, please contact us for our data capture template.

Related pages

About us

About us

Outsouring and TUPE transfers

Meet the team

Pension regulations

Governance