Changes in Circumstances

If you built up any pension in the pension scheme before 1 April 2014, take payment of your pension and then return to work in local government, or with an employer who offers membership of the scheme, you must tell us about your new job if:

• you are in receipt of an augmented pension; or
• annual compensation (where additional pension, additional membership or a credited period has been awarded by your former employer); and
• you were retired on the grounds of redundancy or in the interests of efficiency.

You must do this whether or not you join the scheme again in your new job. We can then let you know whether your pension in payment is affected in any way.

If you have only built up pension in the pension scheme from 1 April 2014, take payment of your pension and then return to work in local government, or with an employer who offers membership of the LGPS, you do NOT need to inform us about your new job. There will be no affect on your pension in payment, unless you are in receipt of a tier 3 ill health pension benefit.

If you are being paid a tier 3 ill-health pension (which is of the type that is stopped if you take up any gainful employment), your pension may be affected if you return to work. Therefore, you must inform the employer who awarded you the ill-health pension if you take up employment (whether in local government or elsewhere). They will let you know whether the payment of your pension should be stopped.

If you have flexibly retired, your pension will not be subject to reduction or suspension whilst you continue to work for the employer that allowed you to take flexible retirement. However, if you leave that employer and then return to work in local government, or with an employer who offers membership of the pension scheme, and part of your pension in payment is in respect of pension you built up prior to 1 April 2014, you must tell us about your new job. You must do this whether or not you join the pension scheme in your new job. They will let you know whether your pension in payment is affected in any way.

If you live abroad or are thinking of living abroad, we can still pay your pension into your UK bank account.

Alternatively, we can pay your pension into an overseas bank account that bears your name. We use an intermediary called Western Union that transfers your pension into your nominated overseas bank account without any additional transaction charges. Please contact us for the appropriate bank mandate form for your chosen country.

Please also let us know if you move and change your address.

We’ll send you a ‘proof of existence certificate’ every year. This helps us to stop fraud and protect your pension. It’s really important that you fill in this form and return it to us, otherwise we may have to stop paying your pension whilst we complete our checks. You can find out more information in our anti-fraud and corruption policy on the key documents page of our website.

It’s important that you let us know of any changes to your contact details so that we can keep in touch with you. This helps us to:

• contact you at retirement age so you can claim your pension
• let you know when your annual benefit statement is available in your pension account
• update you on topical matters that might affect your pension

Please log in to your account and choose ‘Your Details’ to change your contact details. If you haven’t already registered for your online pension account why not do this today? You’ll need your national insurance number handy.

Alternatively, you can find an update form on our forms and resources page under ‘General forms’.

For information regarding your pension in respect of divorce or dissolution of a civil partnership, you or your solicitor will need to put your request in writing to us. The Court will take the values we provide into consideration when looking at your settlement.

The estimate will be provided within a 3 month time limit. Any costs for supplying information or complying with a Court order will be recovered from you or your ex-spouse or ex-civil partner.

All correspondence received by ourselves will be acknowledged in writing. If you do not receive a response you must contact us to ensure that your request was received.

To request the relevant information for divorce or dissolution purposes please read and fill in the ‘Divorce Information Request Pack’ which can be found on the forms and resources page under booklets and factsheets. The form can be sent to us, either by:

• securely uploading it to your online pension account; or
• scanning and emailing it to pensions@westnorthants.gov.uk , it’s recommended that you password protect any documentation containing confidential information if possible.

If someone who is receiving a pension from the Cambridgeshire Fund or Northamptonshire Fund dies, it is important for the next-of-kin or the person handling the Estate to contact us as soon as possible. This is so we can find out if there are any dependents’ benefits due and also keep overpayments to a minimum.

The best way to notify us of a death is to use the Governments Tell Us Once service, which allows you to notify most government organisations in one go.

Please visit their website for more information or to register a death: Tell Us Once

Alternatively, you can register a death with us directly by emailing pensions@westnorthants.gov.uk

If you are considering setting up an arrangement to authorise your son/daughter/relative or solicitor to deal with your finances, or you are an individual with power of attorney for a member of the LGPS, please be aware that we must receive a copy of the signed and registered ‘Property & Financial affairs Lasting Power of Attorney’ form, which is only valid when stamped by the Office of the Public Guardian, alongside a ‘Change in Circumstance’s’ form before we can process any request from someone with power of attorney.

Please also note that we can only pay pension benefits to a bank account in the member’s name or to a joint account where the member is named.

You can find useful information about the different roles and responsibilities of an appointed attorney on the following websites:

http://www.ageuk.org.uk/money-matters/.

www.gov.uk/power-of-attorney.