Welcome to The Tyne and Wear Pension Fund
The website has been recently developed as part of our ongoing efforts to improve communication with our members. We will be very grateful to receive your thoughts and opinions about the site. Please click here to submit your comments.
The Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) is available for local government employees in England and Wales and employees of associated bodies who are entitled to join the pension fund under an admission agreement.
Within the LGPS there are several regional funds which manage the scheme. The Tyne and Wear Pension Fund manages the LGPS in the Tyne and Wear area and is administered by South Tyneside Metropolitan Borough Council.
Whether you're taking the first steps in planning for retirement, you want to find out more about your existing pension, or you're looking for ways to top up your pension, this site will provide the information you require.
If you want general information on the Scheme such as
- joining the Scheme
- how benefits are calculated
- transferring previous pension rights
- increasing your pension benefits
- leaving the Scheme
Please visit our Scheme Booklets section.
Annual Mailing for Pensioner Members
We will be sending a mailing to all of our pensioner members starting on 13 April 2010. This mailing will provide your annual payslip, your P60 and a pension update.
We expect our telephone lines to be very busy during the period of the mailing. If you try to contact the Pensions Helpline with any query, please be patient. We will try to answer your call as quickly as possible.
If you have not received your mailing by 30 April 2010, please contact the Pensions Helpline.
Annual Benefit Statements for Active Members
We are mailing Annual Benefit Statements to our active members starting on 29 January 2010.
We expect our telephone lines to be very busy during the period of the mailing. If you try to contact the Pension Helpline with any query, please be patient. We will answer your call as quickly as possible.
If you have not received your Annual Benefit Statement by 5 March 2010, please contact the Pensions Helpline.
If you wish to see a sample of this year’s Annual Benefit Statement or our Stop Press insert, please click on the link below.
Sample of Annual Benefit Statement [543k]
Sample of Insert to Mailing [20.3k]
Annual Benefit Statements for Deferred Members
We are mailing Annual Benefit Statements to our Deferred Members starting on 1 March 2010.
We expect our telephone lines to be very busy during the period of the mailing. If you try to contact the Pensions Helpline with any query, please be patient. We will answer your call as quickly as possible.
If you have not received your Annual Benefit Statement by 22 March 2010, please contact the Pensions Helpline.
If you wish to see a sample of this year’s Annual Benefit Statement, please click on the link below.
Sample of Annual Benefit Statement [290k]
Recent Changes to the Scheme
On 1 December 2009, new Regulations for the Scheme were made. These take effect from 31 December 2009.
If you wish to read more about these Regulations, please click on the links below.
Covering Letter to Regulations [61.5k]
New Regulations [102k]
Draft Changes to the Scheme
On 24 December 2009, Communities and Local Government (CLG) issued a set of draft Regulations. Comments are invited before 18 March 2010.
To read these draft regulations, please click on the link below.
Draft Proposals for the Scheme [97.3k]
Tax on High Income
The Chancellor’s April 2009 Budget and December 2009 Pre Budget report introduced a number of tax increases and measures that will mainly impact on individuals with a high income.
To read more information, please click on the link below.
Tax on High Income [24k]
Nomination Forms
Nomination of Cohabiting Partner
The changes to the new look LGPS now include the opportunity to register your partner for a survivor's pension.
To do this, you must complete a nomination form and register your cohabiting partner.
Please click below to open a cohabiting partners nomination form:
Cohabiting Partners Nomination Form [108k]
Please note, this is separate to a nomination for your death grant payment. You may complete a death grant nomination form as well as a cohabiting partner nomination form.
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Death Grant Nomination Form
This form allows members to nominate the person(s) or organisation(s) that they want to receive the death grant should they die before reaching retirement or very soon after retiring.
Please click below to open our full Death Grant Nomination Form leaflet.
Full Death Grant Nomination Form Leaflet [180k]
If you wish to open only the form to be able to print it, please click below.
Death Grant Nomination Form [40k]
Please note, this is separate to a nomination for a cohabiting partner. You may complete a cohabiting partner nomination form as well as a death grant nomination form.
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Additional Survivor Benefit Contributions (ASBCs)
From 1 April 2008, you can nominate a cohabiting partner to receive a partner’s pension in the event of your death.
Previously, a partner would have received a survivor’s pension based on membership built up from 6 April 1988. It is now possible to pay Additional Survivor Benefit Contributions (ASBCs) to increase the survivor’s pension to include any membership you may have built up to 5 April 1988.
If you wish to apply to pay ASBCs, you must do this before 31 March 2011.
Please contact the Pensions Helpline on 0191 424 4141, if you wish to receive further information about ASBCs.--------------------------------------------------------------------------
To view previous items which have been published on the home page please visit our 'Pension News' section for archived material.