Refund process

1. You leave the LGPS by opting out of the scheme or leaving your job.
2. Your employer writes to you and notifies us that you have left the scheme.
3. We determine if you are entitled to a refund.
4. We write to you to let you know that you are entitled to a refund. We send you a refund claim form.
5. You complete the refund claim form and return it to us.
6. We pay a net refund into your nominated bank or building society account within 20 working days from the date we receive your refund claim form.

We pay a net refund of contributions because we must make deductions for:

• Tax – 20% of the gross refund is deducted, as directed by HMRC.
• National Insurance – If you paid into the scheme before 5 April 2016, National Insurance may be deducted from your refund. It is to to buy you back into the State Second Pension (S2P). You paid lower National Insurance contributions as you were contracted out of the S2P because you were in the LGPS.