Planned Increase to Normal Minimum Pension Age

The UK Government has announced future changes to the Normal Minimum Pension Age (NMPA). The NMPA is the earliest age from which pension schemes can allow members to access their workplace or personal pensions for reasons other than ill-health. The NMPA will increase from age 55 to age 57 with effect from 6 April 2028.

The NMPA is set by the Finance Act 2004 and was introduced in 2006. The NMPA is different from the state pension age. The changes to NMPA align with changes to the state pension age, which is due to increase to age 67 between April 2026 and April 2028. The normal pension age (NPA) in the Local Government Pension Scheme in Scotland  LGPS(S), which is the age benefits can be taken without reduction, is aligned to the state pension age.

Where a scheme member claims their pension between NMPA and NPA, a reduction is applied to the pension. 

Increase in the normal minimum pension age to 57 

From 6 April 2028, the NMPA will increase from age 55 to 57. Protected Pension Age (PPA) The Finance Act 2004 provides transitional protection against the increase in the NMPA to certain members through a PPA. A member may qualify for a PPA in relation to a specific scheme.

This means that the scheme may allow the member to access their pension benefits before age 57 after 5 April 2028. Schemes are not required to provide this option. In general, most members of the LGPS(S) who joined before 4 November 2021 will qualify for a PPA of 55 in relation to the LGPS(S). The PPA will apply to LGPS(S) benefits built up before 2028 and also to benefits built up after then.

Consultation on LGPS(S) Regulation Changes 

The Scottish Ministers intend to launch a consultation later in 2025 on proposed changes to the LGPS(S) Regulations. These proposals include increasing the earliest age at which LGPS(S) benefits can be accessed from 55 to 57, effective from 6 April 2028. The consultation will also consider:

• Whether members with a PPA of 55 for all their LGPS(S) benefits should be able to access those benefits from age 55 after 5 April 2028
• Whether members with a PPA on transferred-in benefits should be able to access those transferred-in benefits earlier than the rest of their LGPS(S) benefits. 

Responses to the consultation will be reviewed before any amendments are made to the regulations to reflect the treatment of protected pension ages. The changes will not affect when LGPS(S) members can access benefits on ill health grounds.

Further updates will be provided as available.