Members Section
Membership of the Tyne and Wear Pension Fund is broken down into the following classes of members:
Active Members
Members who are currently contributing to the Scheme are classified as active members. If you are not sure if you are contributing or not look at your payslip to see if pension contributions have been deducted or contact your employer.
To join the LGPS you need a contract of employment that’s for at least 3 months and be under age 75. New employees who are eligible are automatically brought into the Scheme, except for employees of admitted bodies who can join by completing an application form. Employees who have previously opted out of membership can normally opt back into the Scheme.
However, Teachers, Police Officers and Fire-fighters, have their own pension schemes and are not allowed to join the LGPS.
Deferred Members
If you leave the Scheme with over three months membership before your pension benefits are due to be paid you will become entitled to deferred benefits. A deferred benefit is a pension benefit that is retained in the LGPS until it becomes payable or is transferred out of the Fund.
While secured in the Tyne and Wear Pension Fund the benefits are guaranteed and attract cost of living awards until they are paid to you.
Retired Members
The Fund classes the following as retired members of the Scheme :
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A member who has retired from active pensionable employment in the Fund and is in receipt of a pension from his/her retirement date.
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A deferred member who has reached the age at which benefits are payable.
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A widow or widower who receives a pension through the death of a member of the scheme.
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A dependant child who receives a pension through the death of a member of the scheme.
Please click on the appropriate sub-menu to obtain further information