Tyne and Wear Pension Fund: Contact & Member Guide

Anyone who’s needed to call their pension fund or sort out a claim from abroad knows that official sites don’t always lay it out step by step. If you’re a member of the Tyne and Wear Pension Fund, this guide pulls together the key contact numbers, online login steps, and practical advice for members living overseas — all drawn from the fund’s official documents and government services.

Fund size: £13.5 billion · Administered by: South Tyneside Council · Scheme type: Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)

Here are the fund’s core details at a glance.

How do I contact Tyne and Wear pension?

Getting through to the right person doesn’t have to take half a day. The fund’s official helpline and online forms are set up for quick queries, and the physical office is open for more complex matters.

Phone numbers and opening hours

• The Pensions Helpline for Tyne and Wear Pension Fund operates Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 4:30pm UK time (Middlesbrough Council).
• For overseas State Pension queries, the International Pension Centre (IPC) can be reached at +44 191 218 7777, Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm UK time (UK Government).
• A text phone service for the IPC is also available at +44 191 281 7280 (UK Government).

Email and online contact form

• For non-urgent queries, the fund’s website twpf.info provides an online contact form (Middlesbrough Council).
• If you need to send original documents for identification, use recorded delivery to the Pensions Office and include a completed Pen49 form (Middlesbrough Council). The fund does not return photocopies of ID documents (Middlesbrough Council).

Physical address and visiting the office

• The fund is administered from South Tyneside Council, Westoe Road, South Shields, NE33 2RL (Middlesbrough Council).
• Members are advised to check the official website for visiting hours before travelling.

The pattern: The fund channels telephone and online queries during standard UK office hours. For overseas members, the IPC is the dedicated point of contact and operates slightly longer hours.

Who manages the Tyne and Wear Pension Fund?

Understanding who’s at the helm helps you know where accountability lies and who to contact if something goes wrong.

Administering authority: South Tyneside Council

• Tyne and Wear Pension Fund is administered by South Tyneside Council (Middlesbrough Council).
• The council’s Pensions Office handles day-to-day administration, benefit calculations, and member communications.

Governance and policy committees

• Governance is overseen by a Pension Committee, which sets fund policy and monitors performance. The committee’s meetings and reports are published on the fund’s website.

Investment management team

• Investment decisions are made by the fund’s internal investment team and external managers. The fund’s £13.5 billion in assets is allocated across equities, bonds, property, and alternative investments.

How do I find all my old pensions in the UK?

Lost track of a pension from a job you left ten years ago? You’re not alone. The UK government offers a free tracing service, and your own records are the best starting point.

Using the Government’s Pension Tracing Service

• The Pension Tracing Service, run by the Department for Work and Pensions, is a free tool that helps you locate lost workplace and personal pensions. You’ll need the names of your former employers or the pension provider (UK Government – general guidance on pension tracing).
• Once you have the contact details, you can write to the administrator to request a benefit statement.

Checking old employment records

• Gather your National Insurance number, dates of employment, and any pension membership numbers from old pay slips or P45 forms. This information speeds up tracing.
• Contact each former employer’s HR department to confirm which pension scheme you were enrolled in.

Contacting previous pension providers

• If you know the provider (e.g., a specific insurance company or a previous LGPS fund), write to them directly. For Tyne and Wear Pension Fund members who contributed to other LGPS funds in England or Wales, the fund requires a completed CARE 1a form (Middlesbrough Council).
• For Club transfers (movements between public sector schemes), the former pension provider must supply a transfer quote (Middlesbrough Council).

1. Start with the free Government Pension Tracing Service.
2. Gather old employment records including your National Insurance number.
3. Contact each former employer’s HR department.
4. Write directly to known pension providers, using the CARE 1a form for LGPS funds.

How to claim UK pension from Ireland?

Living in Ireland doesn’t mean you lose your UK pension rights. A bilateral arrangement between the two countries means you can claim your State Pension and LGPS benefits while residing across the Irish Sea.

Eligibility for UK state pension while living in Ireland

• You can claim UK State Pension from abroad if you have at least 10 qualifying years of UK National Insurance contributions. Ireland has a bilateral social security agreement with the UK that allows you to combine contributions from both countries to meet the qualifying years (UK Government – rules on overseas claims).
• If you live in Ireland (or another EEA country, Switzerland, or a country with a UK social security agreement), you can claim via your local pension authority (UK Government).

Step-by-step claiming process

• Step 1: Contact the International Pension Centre (IPC) on +44 191 218 7777 or via text phone at +44 191 281 7280 (UK Government).
• Step 2: Download and complete the IPC BR1 form from GOV.UK (search “IPC BR1”) (UK Government).
• Step 3: Submit the form along with proof of identity and address. The IPC will process your claim and pay your pension into an Irish bank account if eligible.
• Step 4: Notify the IPC of any changes to your address or bank details to avoid payment disruptions.

Dealing with the International Pension Centre

• The IPC is the UK body responsible for paying State Pensions to people living overseas. Its opening hours are Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm UK time (UK Government).
• If you have contributions to foreign social security systems, those may increase your UK State Pension amount or qualify you for a pension from that country (UK Government).

What is the 5 year rule for pension?

You may have heard you need only five years of contributions for a UK pension. That was true once, but the rules changed in 2016.

Minimum qualifying years for UK state pension

• Under the new State Pension (introduced 6 April 2016), you need at least 10 qualifying years of National Insurance contributions to receive any pension (UK Government – eligibility criteria for State Pension).
• The old basic State Pension (for people who reached State Pension age before 6 April 2016) required only 5 qualifying years. This is where the “5 year rule” comes from.

How the 5-year rule affects eligibility

• If you reached State Pension age before 2016 and have between 5 and 9 qualifying years, you may be eligible for a reduced basic State Pension based on the old rules.
• For those reaching retirement after 2016, the 10-year minimum applies regardless of when contributions were made.

Exceptions and voluntary contributions

• You can top up your National Insurance record through voluntary contributions if you are short of the 10-year threshold. This is particularly relevant for people who lived or worked abroad for extended periods (UK Government – voluntary contributions explained).
• For Tyne and Wear Pension Fund members, voluntary contributions to the LGPS (added years or additional voluntary contributions) can also boost your final benefits.

We are responsible for administering the Local Government Pension Scheme for employees of the Tyne and Wear area.

— Tyne and Wear Pension Fund (official description, via Middlesbrough Council)

The International Pension Centre will help you claim your State Pension from abroad. Download the IPC BR1 form and send it to us with your documents.

— UK Government guidance, via official YouTube channel

For members of the Tyne and Wear Pension Fund, the path to a secure retirement involves knowing who to call, how to access your benefits online, and what rules apply if you cross borders. The 5-year rule may be a relic, but the 10-year minimum and the bilateral agreement with Ireland are very much in effect. For the UK expat in Ireland, the choice is clear: contact the International Pension Centre early, gather your contributions history, and submit that IPC BR1 form — or risk leaving money unclaimed.

Related reading: Tyne and Wear Pension Fund contact, login, overseas claims guide and steps

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