Councillors and mayors in England can now join the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) following the introduction of new regulations extending scheme eligibility to elected officials.

The change, which took effect on the first Monday following the May local elections, means that councillors, mayors, deputy mayors and London Assembly members in England can now opt into the LGPS, with service from that date onwards counting as pensionable service.

The Government Actuary's Department (GAD) supported the policy's development by providing actuarial analysis to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), including modelling the likely additional annual cost of extending access to the scheme.

The move brings England into line with Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, where elected members have continued to have access to the LGPS.

As membership is voluntary, elected members will need to actively opt into the scheme.

Commenting on the change, MHCLG co-head of pensions, Will King, said: "This change in eligibility reflects the government's position that elected leaders in England are dedicated public servants.

"Analysis from GAD helped underpin the change, with clear evidence on the costs."

GAD actuary, Garth Foster, who led the actuarial work, said the project demonstrated the role actuarial analysis can play in supporting public service pension policy.

"GAD's actuarial expertise can help government departments, trustees, employers, and other stakeholders working through policy options," he stated.

"We help policy teams determine evidence-based decisions by giving them a deeper understanding of cost and risk implications."

GAD added that it regularly supports pension policy decisions, including work on benefit design, scheme eligibility, and the financial implications of extending membership to new groups.

---