Certificate in LGPS Administration Course content 

There are six compulsory units:

Unit 1 – UK pension provision and the LGPS

The first unit in this course covers the UK pensions landscape. Students may be familiar with the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) but there are thousands of other pension schemes in the UK structured in different ways and providing different benefits.

This unit aims to give the student an understanding of the most common benefit structures in the UK for pension schemes, defined contribution and defined benefits with a high level view of the differences. It also covers the three pillars of pension saving; the State Pension scheme, occupational pension schemes and personal pension schemes.

Unit 2 – The CARE scheme

This unit covers the new joiner process and ongoing employer duties in the LGPS. Students will be able to explain the impact of employment changes during active membership of the LGPS and understand how CARE benefits are calculated. Students will also explore the options available to scheme members to improve their pension benefits in the LGPS and explain the LGPS appeals process.

Unit 3 – Early leaver benefits

This unit allows students to identify the options available to a member leaving the LGPS before retirement. Unit 3 also incorporates understanding the calculation of final salary benefits in the LGPS and when a member is eligible for aggregation or interfund options.

Unit 4 – Transfers in and out

Unit 4 allows students to identify when the requirements for transferring into and out of the LGPS are met. Students will demonstrate an understanding of how transfers in and out of the LGPS are calculated. This unit will allow students to demonstrate their understanding of the need for robust procedures and checks for transfers out of the LGPS. Finally, the unit will also cover the basic principles of pension sharing on divorce.

Unit 5 – Retirement Benefits

In this unit students will develop an understanding of the different types of retirement in the LGPS. They will calculate retirement benefits in various retirement scenarios, including ill-health, and understand the processes involved in paying retirement benefits.

Unit 6 – Death Benefits

The final unit allows students to identify the eligibility criteria for the different survivor and death benefits payable in the LGPS. This will include the calculation of death grants and survivor benefits and the rules and processes which surround the payment of these benefits.