Overview
Councillors in England were not able to join the LGPS between 1 April 2014 and 10 May 2026. Those councillor members in England who were members of the Scheme on 31 March 2014 were able to remain in the LGPS until the end of their term of office. They were not able to re-join the LGPS is any subsequent term of office. See Pre-April 2014 Councillors in England for more information on rules for councillors before April 2014.
From 11 May 2026, councillors and mayors in England can join the Scheme again. You can find out more about the key features of the LGPS for councillors and mayors in this section.
The Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) provides pension benefits for councillors and mayors (referred to as ‘elected members’) in England who are under age 75. You are automatically eligible to join if you receive an allowance or salary from a district council, county council, combined authority, combined county authority, London borough council, fire and rescue authority or the Council of the Isles of Scilly. Members of the London Assembly, the Court of Common Council of the City of London and the Mayor of London can also join the Scheme, with the agreement of their authority.
This leaflet gives you a simple outline of the Scheme. It explains what you will pay in and what benefits you will receive.
The LGPS is a secure and safe scheme. The regulations guarantee your benefits, so you don’t need to worry about stock market performance or changes in share prices.