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Author: James Heppe-Smith
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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…
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NHS Mental Health Officer status: what MHO doubling is, and what McCloud changes
Mental Health Officer status doubles NHS pension service after 20 years and lets some staff take an unreduced pension from 55. The 2015 scheme switched the doubling off, but McCloud temporarily turns it back on…
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Can you transfer your public sector pension out? The rules explained
If you are in an unfunded scheme like the NHS, Teachers or Civil Service, you generally cannot transfer your pension out to a flexible pot. The LGPS is different. Here is what the 2015 ban…
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The Annual Allowance and your public sector pension (2026/27)
The annual allowance is £60,000 for 2026/27, but a defined benefit pension is measured by how much it grows, not by what you pay in, so a pay rise can trigger a tax charge. Here…
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How to read your public sector pension Annual Benefit Statement (2026)
Your public sector pension Annual Benefit Statement lands by 31 August. Here is what each figure means, the difference between the pension you have built up and the pension you are projected to get, the…
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Pension inheritance tax from April 2027: an executor’s guide for public sector families
From 6 April 2027, unused pension pots fall into your estate for inheritance tax, and your executors must value them, report them and pay the bill. The reassuring part for public sector families: death-in-service lump…
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What does ‘LGPS’ on your payslip mean?
Spotted ‘LGPS’ or a pension deduction on your payslip? It’s your contribution to the Local Government Pension Scheme. What it is, why it’s there, how the 2026/27 rate is worked out, and what you get…
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The LGPS 85-year rule explained
The LGPS 85-year rule was removed in 2006 but still protects long-serving members. What it is, who keeps protection (it depends on your date of birth), and how it lets some pension be paid unreduced…
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What is a Collective Defined Contribution pension? A plain-English guide for workers
A plain-English guide to Collective Defined Contribution (CDC) pensions, the new TPR multi-employer code of practice laid 29 April 2026, the 31 July 2026 regulations commencement, and named early entrants TPT Retirement Solutions and LifeSight.