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I'm thinking of retiring

It’s important that you've all the facts available to you about your retirement, to help you make those important decisions and understand how your EAPF benefits will work for you.

This page gives you an overview of some of the things you might want to consider and what you can expect from the Fund.

For more details on the various retirement options you may have, see our 'Taking your pension' page.

If your circumstances change once you're receiving a pension you'll find helpful information on our 'Change in circumstances' page.

I'm thinking of retiring, what do I need to consider?

You can retire from the age of 55, without needing your employer’s consent. If you choose to take your benefits from this age they'll be reduced because they're being paid early, that is, before your normal pension age (NPA). Your NPA is the later of your state pension age or 65.

You can work out your state pension age by using the calculator on the gov.uk website.

To understand what you might receive in retirement, you can use our retirement illustrator tool available on EAPF Online. You’ll need to login to EAPF Online to access the information as it's specific to you and your circumstances. For help with logging on, or navigating the site contact us using the details on our Contact page. 

You can also refer to your latest annual pension statement or contact the administrators, Capita, who can provide you with an estimate of your benefits. 

Once you’ve made a decision, you should inform your employer at least 3 months before the date you intend to retire to make sure your pension isn’t delayed. 

For details on what you might need to consider when making your decision, download our 'Thinking about or approaching retirement?' factsheet from our Publications page.

 

Budget Planner tool

Our Budget Planner tool lets you plan for retirement by helping you keep track of all your expected income and outgoings once you retire and shows you how much more you might need to be putting aside.

Check out our Budget Planner tool today!

What happens when I’ve informed my employer I want to retire?

The administrator, Capita, will write to you and send you an estimate of your benefits which will include the pension you're likely to receive, along with the options available to you. This includes the option to give up some of your annual pension to receive, or increase your existing tax free lump sum. 

If you’ve paid any additional voluntary contributions (AVCs) you'll also be able to decide how you wish to benefit from them.

Visit our 'I want to pay more into the Scheme' page for more details about AVCs.

Capita will also send you a form to complete, which asks for your bank details (to let us know where you want your pension to be paid), your marital status, details of other pensions you have and other details that may be relevant. You should complete this accurately, as this may affect the pension paid to you and, in the event of your death, the pension paid to your dependants.

It’s also a good idea to keep your Expression of Wish nomination form up to date. The easiest way to make a nomination is by logging on to your personal pension account on EAPF Online. 

Visit EAPF Online to login or register if you haven’t already got an account.

You can also download an Expression of Wish form from our Forms page.

What should I do if I don’t agree with the decision made about my EAPF pension?

If you have a concern about your LGPS benefit entitlement, please contact Capita. They'll seek to clarify or put right any misunderstandings or inaccuracies as quickly and efficiently as possible. If you're still dissatisfied, you can start the complaints process.

You’ll find more details on our complaints process by visiting our Customer service complaints page.

If you're dissatisfied with any decisions made in relation to the EAPF, you have the right to have your complaint reviewed independently. The review process begins with the Internal Disputes Resolution Procedure (IDRP). If you're still not satisfied, your complaint continues to the Pensions Advisory Service (TPAS) and finally, to the Pensions Ombudsman, whose decision is final and binding.

For more details about the IDRP or to find contact details for TPAS or the Pensions Ombudsman, visit our 'Internal dispute and resolution' page.

Retirement options

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If you're planning retirement, we have some useful resources such as our Budget Planner tool, a Retirement Options video and helpful links to factsheets and calculators all to help you plan.
Find out more
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