If you leave within three months of being enrolled into the scheme, your employer will automatically refund any contributions that you have made, less deductions.

If you leave between three months and two years, you can: 

• apply for a refund of contributions, less a deduction for tax 
• transfer your benefits to another public service pension scheme 
• defer taking a refund until you’ve decided what you’re doing next (for example, returning to Teaching at a future date or re-joining the scheme within five years) 

Get a refund of your contributions

If you contribute to a Teaching Scotland pension for more than two years, your benefits will be preserved for you when you leave. This means that any contributions you made will be kept in the pension scheme until you retire.

What you’re entitled to will depend on how long you paid in for and what your salary was at the time. Your pension will still be increased every year in line with the Consumer Price Index.

When can I take my pension?

You can claim your pension in full at your normal pension age. This will be different depending on which Teachers' pension scheme you paid in to:

• Scottish Teachers' Superannuation Scheme, from age 60 or 65
• Scottish Teachers' 2015 scheme, from your State Pension age

In most cases, you can choose to retire early and access some of your pension with a reduction from age 55. You can also retire because of ill health.

Although your pension benefits remain the same, you will be entitled to different death benefits after you leave the Teachers' Pension Scheme.

What happens if I re-join as a Teacher in Scotland?

If you take up a new teaching post in Scotland, you can re-join the scheme.

If you re-join you’ll be placed in the 2015 scheme – even if you were previously a member of the Teachers' Superannuation scheme.

Transfer your pension to another scheme

When you leave teaching in Scotland, you might be able to transfer the value of your pension benefits to another approved pension scheme.

If you have more than two years’ service, you can apply for a transfer at any time before your normal pension age.

If you have less than two years’ service, you must:

• Join your new scheme within 12 months of leaving the Teachers' Scheme in Scotland, and
• Apply for your transfer within 12 months of joining your new scheme

Transferring to a new workplace pension

You can transfer out to an approved workplace pension scheme with defined benefits. If you have less than two years’ pensionable employment as a Teacher in Scotland, you can also transfer your pension benefits to a defined contribution scheme.

Transferring to the Teachers Pension Scheme in England, Wales or Northern Ireland

You can transfer your existing benefits into the Teachers Pension Scheme in England, Wales, or Northern Ireland if you’re moving to a post there. The transfer won’t take place automatically – you’ll have to make a formal application. When you start your job, ask your new employer about their transfer process.

Transferring to a Recognised Overseas Pension Scheme

To check if you’re able to transfer to a Recognised Overseas Pension Scheme, send the details of your new scheme to our transfers team at sppatransfers@gov.scot. Your transfer might be subject to a tax deduction.

How to transfer your pension

Ask your new pension provider about their transfer process and check that they will accept a transfer from the Teachers Scotland pension scheme. Your new provider will manage the transfer request for you. 

When we receive a transfer request from the receiving scheme, we’ll check they are eligible and provide a transfer value as quickly as we can. This will be guaranteed for three months. We’ll send the valuation to your new pension provider along with any necessary forms.

Your new provider will tell you what benefits your transfer value will buy in their scheme. At this stage, you should compare the benefits offered by your new provider with those preserved in the Teachers' Scotland scheme.

You should also compare the normal retirement age in the Teachers' Scotland scheme with your new provider’s normal retirement age as it can sometimes change as a result of the transfer. SPPA can’t give you financial advice, so you should to contact an independent financial advisor before transferring your benefits to a new scheme.

Information can be found on The Money and Pensions Service Website.

If you decide to proceed with the transfer, sign the discharge forms and send them to your new scheme so they can request the transfer on your behalf. Once a payment has been sent to your new scheme, transfers cannot be reversed. Make sure you check it against the normal retirement age in your new provider’s scheme.

 

Contact the SPPA Transfers Team

Write to us

Scottish Public Pensions Agency

7 Tweedside Park

Tweedbank

Galashiels

TD1 3TE

Phone us

01896 893 000 and ask for Transfers when prompted

Email us

sppatransfers@gov.scot