Teachers pensions- any over 55s out there?

[ameliagrey]

I have a small pension based on my teaching career- when am I eligible for it- 60 or 65? or even 66 now?

I took early retirement at 56 and drew my Teachers Pension then. The State Pension is separate and is currently on a sliding scale depending on the year you were born.

well I haven't taught in schools for around 10 years and my career "finished" with a bit of supply- so I have never retired officially.
When can I have my meagre pension?

I assume I can't have it now and have to wait until I am 60 or 65. (Teachers' pension not state.)

Don't you have to apply to retire early and it's a discretional matter? which won't apply to me as I was p/t for years.

if you could - and I am not whether you can - you could get quite a lot less -than waiting until 60 - anyway here is the link

www.teacherspensions.co.uk/

hat is my Normal Pension Age (NPA)

A. This is the age at which you can normally take your retirement benefits. If you first joined the TPS after 31 December 2006, your NPA is 65. Otherwise it is 60.

well I joined it in 1976!

I had a;lmost 7 years full time, then 10 years p/t in a college- but half of those years in college didn't count as it was before it was mandatory to include p/t workers.

Overall, when it's all added up, it's just over 8 years service.

I have one too - I'm now 47 and paid into it for 6 years from 2001 - 2007, when could I get it?

Hi
It is easy to find out. Register with teachers pensions site and they can tell you how much you will get and when.

If you retire early you do get less money.. A friend who was PT then did supply retired at 55 and drew her pension so I am sure you can do it. Teachers Pensions will give you the facts.

You get your pension according to how many pensionable years and days you have. It will all be recorded on the teachers pensions website.

thanks all- I have registered and done the maths- I think it's not worth asking about early pension as the sum I am due to get at 60 is so minimal that taking it pre-60 would be pretty worthless.

Unfortunately, I missed the chance to opt-in and back-pay contributions from 1990-95, and missed 5 years of contributions when i was working very part time.

Could I get a lump sum now if I so required?

When you take it, you get half as pension and half as a lump sum. If you retire early you will get less. However I would go on the site and ask.