Maternity Benefits Guide - Hampshire County Council
Maternity Benefits Guide - Hampshire County Council
Maternity Benefits Guide - Hampshire County Council
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Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)<br />
For the period of ordinary maternity leave you will pay<br />
contributions on all contractual or statutory maternity<br />
pay. The first 26 weeks of ordinary maternity leave will<br />
count for pension purposes whether or not pay is<br />
received and contributions paid.<br />
For unpaid maternity leave in excess of 26 weeks, you<br />
can choose to pay contributions in order for the period to<br />
count in full for pension purposes. The contributions<br />
(payable by you as employee and your employer) are<br />
based on contractual pay immediately before the unpaid<br />
period started. If you wish to pay contributions you must<br />
confirm this in writing to Pensions Services, HCC<br />
Employer Team, (contact details in Appendix 1) within 30<br />
days of returning to work, or leaving the <strong>County</strong> <strong>Council</strong>’s<br />
employment if sooner.<br />
If you do not pay contributions, this period of unpaid<br />
leave will not count towards your pension.<br />
Teachers’ Pensions<br />
If you are receiving contractual or statutory pay, your<br />
pensionable service will continue to increase.<br />
Contributions will be based on the pay you get while<br />
absent. If you are not receiving any pay, you will no<br />
longer be a member of the scheme.<br />
When you return from maternity leave, if you have not<br />
opted out of the Teachers’ Pensions Scheme you will<br />
automatically be returned into the scheme.<br />
If you take a longer break after your contractual and<br />
statutory pay has expired, you can:<br />
• Leave your service in the scheme and this can add<br />
to any further service you do in the future. If the<br />
break is for more than five years, you would be<br />
treated as a new entrant upon returning.<br />
• Transfer your pension to another scheme.<br />
• Take your contributions out of the scheme if you<br />
have less than two years’ service.<br />
Union contributions<br />
Union contributions will continue to be deducted while<br />
you receive maternity pay.<br />
BUPA, staff loans and charity contributions<br />
These will not be deducted from maternity pay. If you<br />
usually have any of these items deducted from your pay<br />
you will have to make your own arrangements to pay<br />
these during your unpaid maternity leave period.<br />
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