Here is the criteria they use for deciding if you can have early retirement ....... every clause has the get out statement : Leeds City Council’s ability to meet the cost of granting such a request; and/or • the member’s personal circumstances. LOCAL GOVERNMENT PENSION SCHEME DISCRETIONS LEEDS CITY COUNCIL’S POLICY STATEMENT Under Regulation 60 (statements of policy about exercise of discretionary functions) of the LGPS Regulations 2013 and paragraph 2(2) of Schedule 2 of the LGPS Transitional Regulations 2014, employers are required to make and publish policy statements on how they will exercise five specific discretions. In addition there are two further discretions relevant to employers, which relate to members who left before 1 April 2014. These are under Regulation 66 of the Local Government Pension Scheme (Administration) Regulations 2008 (in respect of leavers between 1 April 2008 and 31 March 2014) and under Regulation 106 of the LGPS Regulation 1997 (in respect of leavers between 1 April 1998 and 31 March 2008). Any policy statements made must not limit, or ‘fetter’ how an employer uses any of the discretions afforded by the scheme. The use of any discretion is likely to lead to immediate and potentially continuing increased pension costs for the employer, which could be considerable. The employer is required to keep its statement under review and make such revisions as are appropriate following a change in its policy. Following any changes in its policy the employer must publish the revised policy and send a copy to the administering authority within one month of the date the policy is revised. In formulating and revising the policy statements outlined below, the employer must have regard to the extent to which the exercise of its discretionary powers could lead to a serious loss of confidence in the public service. Details of the five discretions are as follows: 1. Shared cost Additional Pension Contributions - Regulation 16 (2)(e) and 16 (4)(d) Regulation 16 allows an active member who is paying into the main scheme to enter into an arrangement to pay additional contributions, either by regular contributions (Regulation 16(2)(e)) or by a lump sum payment (Regulation 16(4)(d). This may be funded in whole or in part by the employer. Leeds City Council does not consider contributions towards additional pension contributions to be an essential part of its employment strategy. However, the Council will consider applications made under these specific provisions having regard to the Council’s general policy from time to time, on the employee pay strategy and the particular circumstances surrounding each case. It is likely that decisions will be made on the merits of each case having particular regard to factors such as: • Leeds City Council’s ability to meet the cost of granting such a request; and/or • the member’s personal circumstances. 2. Awarding Additional Pension - Regulation 31 Regulation 31 allows employers to grant additional pension up to the maximum allowed by the scheme rules provided that the member is active or is within 6 months of leaving for reasons of redundancy or business efficiency or whose employment was terminated by mutual consent on grounds of business efficiency. Leeds City Council will consider applications made under this Regulation having regard to the particular circumstances surrounding each case. Decisions will be made on the merits of each case having particular regard to the following: • the member’s personal circumstances; • the interests of the Council; • the additional contributions due to the Fund by the Council in respect of the exercise of this discretion; • any potential benefits or savings to the Council arising from the exercise of this discretion; • other options that are, from time to time, available under the Council’s severance arrangements; • the funding position of the Council within the Fund; • the ability of the Council to meet the cost of granting such an award. 3. Flexible Retirement - Regulation 30(6) Regulation 30 allows the employer to consent for a member who has attained the age of 55 to draw all or part of their retirement benefits (both pension and lump sum) whilst continuing in employment and Fund membership provided that: • there has been a reduction in hours, or • a reduction in grade. Employers can choose to waive any reductions that apply under Regulation 30(8). Leeds City Council will consider applications made under this Regulation having regard to the particular circumstances surrounding each case. Decisions will be made on the merits of each case having particular regard to: • the operating requirements of the employing department • the Council’s ability to meet the cost of granting such a request • whether any demonstrable cost saving in excess of potential savings available under any severance arrangements in place from time to time can be made • the member’s personal circumstances. 4. Waiving actuarial reductions - Regulation 30(8) The employer may waive the actuarial reductions applied to a members benefits, unless 85 year rule protections exist employers can waive: • all of the reductions in respect of pre 1 April 2014 benefits but only on compassionate grounds (paragraph 2 of Schedule 2 of the LGPS Transitional Regulations 2014); . • all or some of the actuarial reduction in respect of post 1 April 2014 on any grounds. Where 85 year rule protections exists and the member has full or tapered protection the employer can waive all of the reductions but only on compassionate grounds for the service up to the date the 85 year rule protection ends (31 March 2016 (full) or 31 March .2020 (tapered)). Leeds City Council, will consider applications made under this Regulation having regard to the particular circumstances surrounding each case. Decisions will be made on the merits of each case having particular regard to: • the Council’s ability to meet the cost of granting such a request • whether any demonstrable cost saving in excess of potential savings available under any severance arrangements in place from time to time can be made • the member's personal circumstances Applications for the payment of unreduced benefits for service before 1 April 2014 on the grounds of compassion will be granted if: • in the Council’s sole opinion, the special extenuating circumstances surrounding the application, along with the supporting evidence provided justify approval and • the Council can meet the cost of granting such a request. 5. Switching on the 85 rule – Regulation 1(1)© of the LGPS Transitional Regulations 2014

Thanks for your input Bankfodder .... I am no longer employed by the Council as I retired early and now live overseas. i was a member of Unison for around twenty years, i wonder if now i am retired and no longer a member they would be willing to help, i will contact them. I will also go down the freedom of information act path ... thanks for the good advice i now have a starting point.... Lyn

Is there anywhere on this site that helps with pension disputes. I am entitled to make a claim for my pension at age 55 years. there are two parts to making that request. Submit the request answering some questions to confirm your eligibility and the mitigating circumstance why you require it. My mitigating reasons were accepted but the second part were tehe council decides if it has the money came back with the answer "They don't have the money to pay my pension" i have the right to appeal.... I guess I have to try and prove they do have the money but how do i do that? Any help or directions as to how i should word my appeal would be appreciated.... thanks

I got letters from them for three years. .. they never supply full information about anything ... the next letter you will get is from the in house solicitor ... just ignore that one as well. the letters might start from the beginning again or they might send it back and another company will start. ... remember ... NEVER talk to them on the phone. short answer .. ... pay them nothing.

Thanks IMX and DX I have all the statements and a very poor copy of the application form and I think the APR reads 18.9%. I will get into this over the weekend and get the figures into the spreadsheet. I will keep you informed and get back to you if I have problems.... both of you thank you so much for your time and interest in my problem. AllanLyn

I think this was a card that I got and transferred the balance from another card - the very first statement on 12/5/03 shows the credit limit was £5500 and current balance was £5041.51. All of the monthly statements between 2003 and 2007 other than 21/7/03 look exactly the same as the example above the only difference on the 21/07/03 statement are three cash advances totalling £500. I had no purchases on any statement. I dont understand why the very first statement (above) should show three interest and three PPI and for them to continue till 2007. Having said all of the above can you advise what sort of claim I should put in and as there are three ppi how do I go about it? Sorry to be a pain but I just dont know how to approach it .... thanks Allan

Hi DX can you or IM take a look at this for me please ... thanks

Thanks DX

£5041.51 - sorry DX the interest and PPI dates should be 21/05/2003

The following is as per one of the statements: COPY STATEMENT ACCOUNT NUMBER XXXXXXX CUSTOMER NAME XXXXXXX XXXX ADDRESS XXXXXXX STMT DATE 21/05/2003 CREDIT £XXXX CASH LIMIT £ XXXX CASH AVAIL£ XXX CREDIT AVAIL £XXXX CASH LIMIT £XXXX MIN PAYMT £XXX PMT DUE 15/06/2003 12/05/2003 PAYMENT VIA BGC - THANKYOU £ 102.00 12/05/2003 INTEREST £24.63 12/05/2003 INTEREST £18.80 12/05/2003 INTEREST £18.99 12/05/2003 PAYMENT PROTECTION PLAN £15.14 12/05/2003 PAYMENT PROTECTION PLAN £11.59 12/05/2003 PAYMENT PROTECTION PLAN £ 8.81

Scanner is not working but i can easily type the info - will do asap

I have just looked at spread sheets available - should i be completing CISheet v101.xls ?? Should I also use this form for claiming the interest? I guess this problem is a bit different to the usual claim and I am not sure about the way to go about it.

Thanks for the info DX I will keep this thread informed....

I have the statements for a Morgan Stanley Dean Witter credit card from 2003 - 2007. Each month shows they took out three separate amounts for PPI and three separate amounts for interest. I have checked with Morgan Stanley and they say Barclay's are now responsible for the account. What is the best way to get this account sorted out, claim the PPI and the overcharged interest? Which claim forms should I use? Any help would be appreciated.

I received a letter from the Royal Bank stating they were going to pay £1700 to the DCA to resolve my claim and they wanted me to sign a letter and return it to them. I did not do this, I phoned them and also wrote to them asking for a cheque to be sent to me. They were very good, no problem or argument and recently I received the cheque a couple of days ago.