Members can to take their benefits at any time from age 55, although in the case of serious ill health it may be possible to take benefits earlier.
It is important for members to seek professional advice before taking benefits, as the choices they make will affect both their retirement income and the level of contributions they can make to a pension scheme in the future.
A member does not have to retire or stop work in order to take benefits from their scheme. Benefits can also be taken in stages, rather than as a single lump sum.