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Benefits of working for Sefton

Pensions

New entrants receive information on the Merseyside Pension Fund website which explains all the essential features of the Local Government Pension Scheme.

Sefton offers membership of the Local Government Pension Scheme for its employees (LGPS). In return for contributions valuable benefits are received.

 Highlights of the benefits provided by the LGPS are:

  • a Career Average Revalued Earnings scheme - CARE (from April 2014) with a guaranteed pension
  • the ability to increase your pension benefits with a variety of options
  • voluntary retirement from age 55 subject to actuarial reduction
  • pension benefits become payable at age 55 or over if a member’s employment ceases as a result of redundancy or efficiency of the service*
  • an ill health pension payable from any age, provided you meet the LGPS criteria immediate payment of benefits based on a 3-tier system with enhancement of service for tier 1 and 2*
  • a death in service lump sum of three times your assumed pensionable pay
  • survivor benefits, an ongoing pension is provided for
    • your spouse (from an opposite sex or same sex marriage)
    • your registered civil partner
    • your eligible cohabiting partners
    • your eligible children
  • the index-linking of benefits to ensure that they keep pace with inflation- currently measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI).

* You must be an active member of the LGPS for 2 years before becoming entitled to benefits under the scheme.

The Council is required to formulate, publish and keep under review a written policy statement on how they will apply their discretionary powers in relation to certain provisions in the LGPS.  Download the Policy Statement on the use of its Discretionary Powers.

Please refer to the Merseyside Pension Fund website for more detailed guidance. 

Privacy Notice: how we use employee and pensioner information 

To find out how we use your personal information, download the following Privacy Notice 

Trade Union Membership

Sefton Council supports the system of collective bargaining and believes in solving industrial relations problems by discussing and agreement between representatives of the employer and of the employees. All employees have the rights to join a Trade Union and take part in its activities. 

Working Week 

This is generally a 36 hour week with many posts operating to flexitime. This system offers the opportunity to choose starting and finishing times which best suit personal needs. "Core time" operates from 10.00 a.m. to 3.00 p.m. with outer limits of 7.30 a.m. to 6.30 p.m. Lunch break must be at least 30 minutes taken between the hours of 12 noon and 2.00 p.m. During the flexible bands employees may start and finish work as they wish, provided that there is adequate cover at the place of work. Hours may be accumulated to give 1.5 days off within each settlement period of five weeks (pro rata for part-time staff). For posts not subject to flexitime normal office hours are 9.00 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. (Monday to Thursday) and 4.00 p.m. on Friday, with a lunch break of 1 hour. These hours may, however, vary for certain posts, e.g. in Libraries, Residential Homes, etc.

Annual Leave Entitlement

The standard holiday entitlement for NJC employees is:

28 days after 12 months service

33 days after 5 years service

The holiday entitlements are inclusive of 2 extra statutory holidays. The 8 statutory public holidays are in addition to the above.  New entrants to Local Government are entitled to 1/12th of their annual entitlement for each completed month of service during the leave year of entry. Part-time employees and those employed for less than a full year receive holidays on a pro rata basis.

Assistance with Relocation

A relocation package is available in appropriate cases. Details of the scheme are available upon request.   

The Conditions of Service are as negotiated by the National Joint Council for Local Government Services. Whilst the duties and times of work may vary in the case of particular posts the following conditions are generally applicable unless otherwise indicated. 

Active Workforce

Active Workforce is Sefton's award-winning health and wellbeing programme for businesses to help their staff to be active and healthy during working hours and reduce their absence through sickness and poor health. Find out more on Active Workforce

Sickness 

Full pay sickness allowance is payable according to length of service. For new entrants to Local Government in the first year of service the allowance is one month's full pay (plus two month's half pay) after four months' service. Entitlement increases until, after five years' service, it extends to six months' full pay and six months' half pay. 

 

 


Last Updated on Friday, February 23, 2024

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