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Retirement

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Original poster

Anyone here with knowledge of LGPS pension scheme? Ill health retirement.

12 replies

retiringinthedeepend · 05/08/2023 18:30

I have a severe chronic illness and after several years of declining health and over a year off sick I was dismissed/retired on the grounds of ill health at the end of last year. I then had to go through a lengthy procedure to see if I was eligible for enhanced pension rights. This week I found out I had been recommended to receive my pension at tier 1, ie the same level as if I had retired at state pension age.

I'm obviously delighted with this outcome. I knew the procedure could be lengthy and was fully prepared to be rejected and have to appeal (this happened to an ex colleague), but apparently I'm lucky that this has "only" taken eight months. During that time my only income was disability benefits.

The offices are closed this weekend so I'm unable to ring anyone to ask, but wondered if anyone knew if in a case like mine the pension is backdated to the date of ill health retirement? Or is it just that my pension will now start in the next month or so? There has been no explanation of what happens now, I have just received the official reports from the doctor.

OP posts:
Iwasafool · 05/08/2023 18:34

retiringinthedeepend · 05/08/2023 18:30

I have a severe chronic illness and after several years of declining health and over a year off sick I was dismissed/retired on the grounds of ill health at the end of last year. I then had to go through a lengthy procedure to see if I was eligible for enhanced pension rights. This week I found out I had been recommended to receive my pension at tier 1, ie the same level as if I had retired at state pension age.

I'm obviously delighted with this outcome. I knew the procedure could be lengthy and was fully prepared to be rejected and have to appeal (this happened to an ex colleague), but apparently I'm lucky that this has "only" taken eight months. During that time my only income was disability benefits.

The offices are closed this weekend so I'm unable to ring anyone to ask, but wondered if anyone knew if in a case like mine the pension is backdated to the date of ill health retirement? Or is it just that my pension will now start in the next month or so? There has been no explanation of what happens now, I have just received the official reports from the doctor.

Long time ago but when it happened to my husband it did take longer to sort out but he did get a lump sum from the date he retired. I thought he should get interest on top so he did ask but they said no and he decided not to go any further. My feeling was they'd had his money for nearly 18 months and we'd been struggling (I was pregnant when he went off sick, ten day old baby when they retired him on ill health) so I had to go back to work earlier than I wanted and I was caring for him, a baby and a toddler so I really resented it.

Sorry rant over, hope you get a nice fat pension payment at the end of the month but I don't know if rules have changed.

Original poster
retiringinthedeepend · 05/08/2023 20:19

@Iwasafool 18 months is outrageous! I hope things have improved for you, thanks for your information.

OP posts:
Iwasafool · 05/08/2023 20:43

Thank you @retiringinthedeepend we are doing OK. His condition gets worse but he's still walking (slowly and painfully) but according to the specialists he should have been in a wheelchair 20 years ago so we count our blessings.

His took so long because an accident caused significant damage but the MRI showed an issue he'd had since birth that he didn't know about. Their point was that the accident at work wouldn't have caused so much damage if he hadn't had the existing condition which he didn't even know he had. Took lots of arguing and legal issues.

Thethruththewholetruth · 05/08/2023 21:02

I also was retired on Tier one. It was went from the date of my retirement which was mutually agreed for a date in the future. About 8weeks after it was agreed by the doctor and HR and me accepting it, which was slightly longer than usual as we wanted to get married first so my husband got a better pay off when I died. So in answer no it wasn’t backdated. My lump sum came in a few days later. Mine was done fairly quickly but I was at the time very very ill and they thought close to death, don’t know if that had an impact.

Original poster
retiringinthedeepend · 06/08/2023 13:06

@Thethruththewholetruth I'm glad you got through that crisis time by the sounds of it. Hope you're doing ok now.

OP posts:
UndercoverCop · 06/08/2023 13:08

I've got a member of staff going through this now, final decision not made but I've been advised tier one very likely. A retirement date will be set after the final outcome. I don't think there will be backdating.

Original poster
retiringinthedeepend · 06/08/2023 13:13

@UndercoverCop My retirement date was back in January so the process has taken place after the retirement, if you see what I mean.

OP posts:
Soontobe60 · 06/08/2023 13:15

I know that in the Teachers pension scheme, the payment is backdated to the date of retirement.

UndercoverCop · 06/08/2023 13:20

@retiringinthedeepend ah ok should be backdated to then, in that case. My staff member is only 50

ChessieFL · 06/08/2023 13:20

You can only retire on tier 1 status as an active member, so where the decision is later it will have to be backdated to the date you left (which is the last date you were an active member).

I suspect the others commenting were still active members of the scheme while going through the process ie still employed even if not actually working, which is why theirs weren’t backdated.

Original poster
retiringinthedeepend · 06/08/2023 13:38

@UndercoverCop I'm nearly 60 and already finished on ill health grounds.

OP posts:
Original poster
retiringinthedeepend · 06/08/2023 13:39

@ChessieFL Thank you for that information, very useful.

OP posts:
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