What is ill health retirement? (contributing members)
If you have to leave work due to illness,you may be able to receive immediate payment of your benefits.
To qualify for ill health benefits you have to have met the 2 years vesting period in the scheme and your employer, based on an opinion from an independent occupational health physician appointed by them, must be satisfied that you will be permanently unable to do your own job until your Normal Pension Age and that you are not immediately capable of undertaking gainful employment.
Your normal pension age in the LGPS is linked to your State Pension Age (with a minimum of 65). If you are not sure what your State Pension Age is you can check using this calculator.
Ill health benefits can be paid at any age and are not reduced on account of early payment, in fact, your benefits could be increased to make up for your early retirement. There are graded levels of benefit based on how likely you are to be capable of gainful employment after you leave.
Gainful employment means paid employment for not less than 30 hours in each week for a period of not less than 12 months.
To apply for ill health retirement, please speak to your employer.
For more information on ill health retirement and the different levels of benefit, please click the following link:
