Buy back lost pension

If you are away from work for a continuous period of 15 days or more due to authorised unpaid leave, you will not build up pension for that period.

If the leave began on or after 1 April 2026, you can choose to buy back this ‘lost pension’ when you return to work via a Qualifying Additional Pension Arrangement (QAPA). You can apply for a QAPA within 12 months of returning to work, providing you remain in the same employment (or longer if your employer allows).

For periods of unpaid leave that began before 1 April 2026, late elections (after the 12-month QAPA election period or increased QAPA election period specified by the employer) and the purchase of pension lost during strike breaks, lost pension Additional Pension Contribution (APC) rules apply.

A QAPA is an arrangement that allows you to buy back some or all of the pension you lost during authorised unpaid leave. They can apply where:

• you are absent from work with permission for 15 or more consecutive days
• your absence is not due to illness, injury, child-related leave, reserve forces leave or industrial action (strike)
• you choose to buy back the lost pension by making an election within 12 months of returning to work (or longer if your employer allows)

If you enter into a QAPA, you and your employer will contribute to the cost. You will both pay the contributions you would have paid if you had not been absent.

Employers must contribute to a QAPA for authorised unpaid leave of up to three years. After three years, employer contributions are optional; if the employer does not contribute, you can choose to pay the full cost yourself.

You can pay for a QAPA out of your pay by regular contributions over a year or a number of years, or by a lump sum. Tax relief will be applied to all contributions deducted directly from your pay. However, you must make sure that there is enough left in your earnings to meet tax and National Insurance costs.

If you are within one year of your Normal Pension Age, or have passed your Normal Pension Age, you will only be able to pay by a lump sum. Your Normal Pension Age is the age your pension benefits become payable without reductions. Usually this is the same as your State Pension Age.

If you do not earn enough in a single pay period for the lump sum to be deducted, or if you do not return to work after your absence but made an election before your last day of Scheme membership, you may make a lump sum payment directly to the Fund.

A QAPA ends when:

• you tell us you want to end the contract, giving us one month’s notice
• you stop being an active member of the Scheme, leave your LGPS employment  or take flexible retirement

If the contract stops before it has been completed due to one of the above reasons, we will credit your account with the proportion of pension that you have paid for.

If you leave the Scheme without meeting the 2-year qualifying period, you may be entitled to a refund of contributions. Any contributions you have paid towards the APC will be included.

For periods of unpaid leave that began before 1 April 2026, late elections (after the 12-month QAPA election period or increased QAPA election period specified by the employer) and the purchase of pension lost during strike breaks, lost pension APC rules apply.

You can pay for the lost pension by:

• spreading the cost of paying over a number of complete years
• paying a lump sum directly from your pay
• paying a lump sum directly to the Fund

Tax relief will be applied to all contributions deducted directly from your pay. However, you must make sure that there is enough left in your earnings to meet tax and National Insurance costs.

If you are within one year of your Normal Pension Age, or have passed your Normal Pension Age, you will only be able to pay by a lump sum. Your Normal Pension Age is the age your pension benefits become payable without reductions. Usually this is the same as your State Pension Age.

You can get a quotation and apply for a lost pension APC by using the national LGPS website's lost pension calculator.

Before you use the calculator, you should request from your employer the:

• lost pensionable pay
• last day of absence

After you have entered this information into the calculator along with your personal information and payment method, you will be provided with an estimate of the cost. If you are spreading payments, the calculator will also tell you how much the regular cost will be.

If you are happy with the estimate provided by the calculator, click 'apply for lost pension'.

Once you have done this, click the ‘sign and download’ button at the bottom of the page to sign the contract. You can do this digitally or you can print a copy to sign. You should then send this contract to your employer.

Once we receive your application, we will check that:

• you are eligible to pay towards an APC
• your application has been completed correctly
• it is reasonable for you to make the payments from your pay (if you have not chosen direct payment)

If you are making a direct payment, we will advise you of our bank account details.

If you are paying via your pay, your employer will begin making deductions from the next available pay date. If you have any questions about contribution deductions, you should contact your employer directly.

An APC contract ends when:

• you tell us you want to end the contract, giving us one month’s notice
• you stop being an active member of the Scheme, leave your LGPS employment or take flexible retirement

If the contract stops before it has been completed due to one of the above reasons, we will credit your account with the proportion of pension that you have paid for.

If you leave the Scheme without meeting the 2-year qualifying period, you may be entitled to a refund of contributions. Any contributions you have paid towards the APC will be included.

Buying back lost pension is optional and you can choose not to do so. However, if you choose not to do so, you should be aware that:

• you will receive less pension than you would have if you bought back the pension
• in the event of your death, your dependant(s) will receive less pension than they would have if you bought back the pension
• the period of absence will not be used when calculating protections for the underpin or 85-year rule

While we can provide information about the LGPS, we cannot offer you advice.

We always recommend that you get help with decisions about your pension.