Category
Category: Pension Basics
Foundational explainers: how UK public sector pensions actually work.
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Capita missed its deadline: what happens now to Civil Service pensions
Capita missed the 30 June 2026 deadline to restore Civil Service Pension Scheme administration, and the PCS union is calling for its contract to be stripped. Here is what happened, the 8 July parliamentary hearing,…
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Public sector pension employer contributions are set to fall in 2027: what it means for members
What’s changed: Updated 28 October 2026: the Budget confirms the fall and cuts departmental budgets by about £16 billion a year to match. Earlier, 7 August: no 2027 NHS rate has been published. Full update…
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Legacy scheme vs 2015 scheme: how public sector pensions compare
The McCloud remedy gives eligible public sector members a choice between their legacy final-salary scheme and the 2015 career-average scheme for 2015 to 2022. How the two designs differ on normal pension age, accrual and…
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Teachers’ Pension phased retirement: how the rules work in 2026/27
Phased retirement lets teachers draw part of their pension while still working on reduced hours or responsibilities. The age limits, the 20% salary-cut rule, the 75% cap, how many times you can do it, and…
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AVCs in public sector schemes: are they worth it?
Additional Voluntary Contributions let you build a separate investment pot alongside your main pension. For LGPS members in particular they can be a powerful, tax-efficient way to boost your retirement cash. Here is how AVCs…
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How to use HMRC’s ‘Calculate your public service pension adjustment’ service
If McCloud has changed your pension tax for 2015 to 2022, you fix it through HMRC’s online service, not your tax return. What the ‘Calculate your public service pension adjustment’ service is for, what you…
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Ill-health retirement in public sector pension schemes
If illness forces you to stop work before your normal pension age, your public sector scheme may let you take your pension early, often without the usual reduction and sometimes with an enhancement. Here is…
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Public sector pension lump sums: how commutation works (with examples)
Most public service schemes let you swap some annual pension for a tax-free lump sum at a rate of 12 to 1. How that works, which schemes pay an automatic lump sum, how the maximum…
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Buying added pension in a public sector scheme: is it worth it?
Public sector schemes let you boost your pension by buying a defined chunk of extra, guaranteed, inflation-linked income. Here is how Additional Pension and APCs work, what they cost, the 2026/27 limits, and how to…
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When your pension administrator fails: what the 2026 outsourcing problems mean for public sector members
Capita’s Civil Service Pension problems, the Teachers’ Pension handover delay and a terminated Royal Mail contract show what happens when scheme administration fails. The good news: your pension is safe. Here is what to do…