Buying lost pension

You can pay additional pension contributions to buy back lost pension if you are away from work with no pay. You can do this if you are in the main or 50/50 section of the LGPS.

To apply to buy back lost pension, complete our buying lost pension application form (your employer will normally provide this when you return from a period of absence).

You can buy back pension lost for any period of:

• unpaid additional maternity (normally weeks 39 to 52)
• unpaid adoption leave
• unpaid paternity leave
• unpaid shared parental leave
• unpaid neonatal care leave
• unpaid bereavement leave
• unpaid leave with your employer’s permission where you are away from work for 31 days or more.

You do not need to buy back lost pension if you are away from work with no pay because of sickness, ordinary maternity or adoption leave (normally the first 26 weeks) or paternity leave. In these circumstances, you will already be building up pension as if you were at work receiving your normal pay.

If your employer allows you to take a period of unpaid leave, including for jury service, and you are away from work for 30 days or less, you do not need to buy back lost pension. In these circumstances, you will continue paying contributions on the pay you would have received had you not been away.

If you elect to buy back lost pension within 30 days of returning to work, your employer will meet two thirds of the cost (unless you were on strike or your leave was unauthorised). Your employer is only obliged to meet two thirds of the cost for periods of absence up to 36 months.

If you elect to buy back lost pension after 30 days of returning to work, you will be responsible for the whole cost. Your employer can choose to extend the 30-day period and still meet two thirds of the cost, but this is a discretion.

If you are away from work because of strike action, you are responsible for meeting the full cost yourself. Your employer can choose to meet some of the cost.