Joining
Transferring your previous pension benefits
You can transfer your previous pension rights in most, but not all cases - but there are time limits associated with this and a transfer of your previous benefits can only proceed when:
- the value of your previous pension rights has been obtained by yourself and forwarded to TWPF
- you have been notified by us of the membership or CARE pension that the transfer will buy in the LGPS and
- you have made a written election that you want the transfer to go ahead
Transferring previous pension rights from outside of the LGPS
If you have joined the Fund within the last 12 months and wish to consider transferring previous pension rights from outside of the LGPS, please follow the guidance in the table below:-
I have other pension membership in TWPF | We will automatically write to you once we have reviewed the options that are available to you. You do not need to return the CARE1a form that was included in your new starter pack. Further information about rejoining the LGPS can be found on our 'Options for re-joining the scheme' page. |
I have pension membership in another LGPS Fund in England and/or Wales | Please complete the CARE1a form that was included with your new starter pack, confirming which other Funds you have paid into and return it to the Pensions Office. We will request the information on your behalf and then provide you with your options. Further information about rejoining the LGPS can be found on our 'Options for re-joining the scheme' page. |
Club Transfers: I have pension memberships in any of the following: LGPS (Scotland)
LGPS (Northern Ireland)
Other public service pension schemes, ie: civil service, the armed forces, teachers, health service workers, fire & rescue services, the police force and the judiciary
| Please complete the CARE1a form that was included with your new starter pack and provide the details of any other public service pension schemes you have paid into and return it to TWPF. If you have previous membership with another pension scheme that participates in the Public Sector Transfer Club ('Club'), you may be able to transfer under the Club transfer rules. The amount of extra pension added to your LGPS pension account will be broadly equal to the amount of pension you had built up in your previous scheme. If you would like to consider transferring previous public sector pension benefits into TWPF, please contact your former pension provider and request a 'Transfer Out Statement', which should include;
When you receive the 'Transfer Out Statement' please forward ALL the documents to TWPF. Any transfer will not be binding until you have been supplied with full details of the amount of extra pension the transfer value will provide in the LGPS and subsequently confirm that you want the transfer to proceed, therefore, please DO NOT pre-sign the transferring schemes declaration forms. |
Non-Club Transfers: I have paid into other pension schemes that are not LGPS or other public service pension schemes | If you would like to consider transferring other previous pension benefits into TWPF, please contact your former pension provider and request a 'Transfer Out Statement', which should include;
When you receive the 'Transfer Out Statement' please forward ALL the documents to TWPF. Any transfer will not be binding until you have been supplied with full details of the amount of extra pension the transfer value will provide in the LGPS and subsequently confirm that you want the transfer to proceed, therefore, please DO NOT pre-sign the transferring schemes declaration forms. |
If you joined the Fund more than 12 months ago you may be able to ask your employer to extend your permission to transfer, depending on your circumstances. You must complete Transfer form D to seek this extension.
You can use Transfer Form D if:
- You started with the Tyne and Wear Pension Fund on or after 1 April 2014, regardless of where your previous pension rights are held or
- You started with the Tyne and Wear Pension Fund on or before 31 March 2014 and want to transfer pension rights from a scheme outside of the LGPS in England and Wales.
You cannot use Transfer Form D if you started on or before 31 March 2014 and want to transfer pension rights from another LGPS fund in England and Wales.
If you apply to your employer for an extension, your employer has absolute discretion to allow the transfer to proceed (providing you have not already left this employment). Your employer must be fair and consistent in applying their policy.
Please note that you cannot transfer a pension credit into the LGPS.
For more information of transferring your previous pension rights, see LGPS member: Transferring in.
Transferring pension rights into the LGPS (PDF, 226 KB) - Details of the procedure and time limits to transfer previous pension rights into the Scheme