Access and Fairness
From 1 April 2026, the LGPS regulations were amended following the access and fairness consultation.
The changes introduced include:
Further changes from the consultation are expected to be introduced later this year.
Fairer survivor benefits
Survivor pensions will be calculated more consistently to ensure equal treatment regardless of the sex of the member or their survivor.
The changes apply to deaths dating back to:
- 5 December 2005 for opposite sex marriages and same sex civil partnerships
- 13 March 2014 for same sex marriages
- 31 December 2019 for opposite sex civil partnerships
Some cohabiting partners’ pensions may also increase if the member died between 1 April 2008 and 31 March 2014.
Where necessary, we will recalculate survivor pensions and contact you to pay arrears with interest. There is no need for you to contact us directly.
Changes to death grants
The age 75 limit on death grants has now been removed and will be backdated to cover deaths from 1 April 2014 onwards.
Where necessary, we will contact beneficiaries and / or personal representatives to arrange payment of the death grant. There is no need for you to contact us directly.
Stronger protection when you are away from work
In the LGPS, women typically receive lower pensions than men. This is called the gender pensions gap. One of the reasons for the gap is that women are more likely to take breaks from work due to childcare and other caring responsibilities.
The following changes have been introduced to help reduce the gender pensions gap by strengthening pension protection when members are away from work but only apply if the unpaid absence starts on or after 1 April 2026.
Authorised unpaid absences less than 15 days
Authorised unpaid absences less than 15 days are now automatically pensionable. You must pay the contributions had you worked during that period, in line with your standard contributions.
Your employer will also pay contributions on the 'lost' pay in line with their standard employer rate.
Your employer will liaise with you directly to arrange the additional deductions. Once the payment has been received by the Fund, the ‘lost’ pension will be added back into your record.
Authorised unpaid absences 15 days or more
Authorised unpaid absences 15 days or more are not automatically pensionable, and the rules for absences less than 15 days do not apply to the first 14 days of a longer absence.
The time for you to buy ‘lost’ pension from an authorised unpaid absence longer than 14 days has been extended up to one year from the date you return to work.
The cost will be in line with your standard employee contributions and your employer will also pay contributions on the lost pay in line with their standard employer rate.
You can liaise with your employer directly to arrange this. If you need to, you can arrange to spread the cost across multiple months with your employer.
You employer will forward the relevant details to us when you have agreed how you will pay the contributions.
If you apply to buy the ‘lost’ pension after one year from the date you return to work, or your absence was due to strike action, your employer does not have to pay contributions, and you will have to pay the full cost.
Once payment has been received by the Fund, the ‘lost’ pension will be added back into your record.
Extended protection for parental leave
If you're absent from work due to maternity, paternity, adoption or shared parental leave, your pension will continue to build up as if you were still at work and on full pay, although the contributions you pay will be based on the pay you receive at the time. Your employer pays contributions as if you had continued working during the period.
This protection was previously capped at 26 weeks as standard but could go up to 39 weeks if you were on paid additional maternity or adoption leave. With effect from 1 April 2026, this protection has been extended to cover the entirety of your maternity, paternity, adoption or shared parental leave (up to 52 weeks).
This only applies however if the start of your unpaid additional maternity, paternity, adoption or shared parental leave starts on or after 1 April 2026.
If you have opted into the 50/50 section of the scheme, your employer will now automatically bring you back into the main section of the scheme the first pay period after you go onto nil pay. This means that whilst you are not in receipt of pay, the pension accrued is higher.
When you have returned to work, you can opt back into the 50/50 section if you wish.
Paternity leave
There has also been a change in the definition of paternity leave.
Paternity leave is included in the definition of child-related leave in the LGPS Regulations. Therefore, Assumed Pensionable Pay (APP) applies during paternity leave, which is usually limited to two weeks, to protect the pension you would have built up, had you been working during the period of paternity leave.
From 6 April 2026, the right to take bereaved partner’s paternity leave of up to 52 weeks has been introduced.
This type of leave will be available in certain circumstances to the partner of a child’s primary carer when that primary carer dies after 5 April 2026 and within one year of a child’s birth or adoption.
Bereaved partner’s paternity leave includes same-sex partners. APP will therefore apply throughout any period of leave of this type, whether the period is paid or unpaid, protecting the pension you would have built up, had you been working during this period for up to 52 weeks.
APP will apply during these periods in the same way as it applies during any other period of child-related leave:
- you only pay contributions on any pay that you receive
- the employer pays contributions on the full APP amount, as if you had been working
- your pension accrues as if you had been working during this period
If you’re in the 50/50 section immediately before taking a period of bereaved partner’s paternity leave, you will be moved into the main section from the start of the pay period after the date you go onto nil pay.
If you require any further information on any of these changes, please contact us.