All employees will be contractually enrolled into a pension scheme on day 1 or when they become eligible, providing there is a contract of employment of at least 3 months.

The LGPS is a valuable part of the pay and reward package for employees for Flintshire County Council.

A secure pension

Your pension is worked out every year and added to your pension account. Each year 1/49th of your pensionable pay is put into your pension account; at the end of the year the total amount of pension in your account is adjusted to take into account the cost of living.

Flexibility to pay more or half contributions

You can boost your pension by paying more contributions, which you would get tax relief on. You also have the option in the LGPS to pay half your normal contributions in return for half your normal pension. This is known as the 50/50 section and is designed to help members stay in the scheme when times are financially tough.

Tax efficient now and in the future

As a member of the LGPS, you receive tax relief on the contributions that you pay, plus you have the option when you draw your pension to exchange part of it for tax-free cash.

Peace of mind

Your family enjoys financial security, with immediate life cover and a pension for your spouse, civil partner or eligible cohabiting partner and eligible children in the event of your death in service. This also applies if you die after leaving having met the 2-year qualifying period, also known as the vesting period. If you ever become seriously ill and you've met the 2-year qualifying period, you could receive immediate ill health benefits.

Freedom to choose when to take your pension

Your pension is usually payable from your normal pension age which is linked to your State Pension age (with a minimum of 65). You can choose to retire and take your pension at any time between the age of 55 and 75. If you choose to take your pension before your normal pension age it will normally be reduced, as it's being paid earlier. If you take it later than your normal pension age it will be increased because it's being paid later.

If you are off ill, we operate an Occupational Sick Pay Scheme, where you may receive full and half pay, depending on your length of service up to a maximum of 26 weeks in addition toyour entitlement to Statutory Sick Pay.

We operate a comprehensive Attendance Management Policy, which aims to support and help individuals whilst at work, when on sick leave and returning to work.

To help you balance the demands of work and home, we have a range of flexible working options including:

• Job-Sharing
• Reduced Hours and Part Time Working
• Term-Time Contracts
• Compressed Hours

We have a range of policies including:

• Family Friendly Provisions, including Maternity, Paternity, Adoption & Parental Leave and Shared Parental Leave.
• Flexible Working
• Special Leave of Absence, including time off for emergencies and bereavement
• Agile Working
• Working and Caring

eRewards is a unique benefits programme that offers you a fantastic range of savings. There are 1,000's of offers and benefits available which can save you £100's on your everyday shopping, motoring costs and health and wellbeing spend.

With lots of major brands and different ways to save available - there's bound to be lots of offers just right for you! Save using online discounts, gift vouchers, reloadable cards, cashback and in-store discounts with your vectis card.

The cycle to work scheme is a Government approved salary sacrifice initiative allowing you to enter into a hire purchase agreement to obtain a bike and accessories for the purpose of cycling to work. The hire is free of tax and national insurance, which means you can makesavings, whilst keeping fit, reducing your carbon footprint and spending less time in your car. The scheme offers you access to hundreds of top brands from over 465 Halfords shops, Cycle Republic Stores and over 860 independent bike shops.

Flintshire’s Occupational Health Department is committed to promoting a culture where physical health and psychological well-being of staff is respected, protected and improved. The Occupational Health Department is a nurse led service and our team consists of qualified Specialist Occupational Health Practitioners and experienced Occupational Health Nurses who advise on all matters concerning the effect of the working environment on health and the influence an employee’s health has on their ability to fulfil their role. In addition, we arrange specialist services to support employee’s physical and mental well-being including access to physiotherapy and counselling services.

Flintshire County Council have partnered with Vodaphone to offer employees savings on Vodaphone pay monthly bundles. 

Find out more at the following link: https://advantage.vodafone.co.uk/

With ever increasing pressures at work and at home, there are times when we all need some extra support to balance the demands of everyday life. That’s why Flintshire County Council has chosen to provide a free and confidential Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) for all its employees.

Your EAP is paid for by the Council as a support service for you as an employee, so that its free of charge for you to use. It is provided by an independent provider, is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, and is accessible by phone or online.

The EAP is designed to help you with a wide range of work, family and personal issues. From work-life balance to childcare information, relationships to workplace issues, health and wellbeing, let your EAP support you on the issues that affect all of us at some point in our lives.

Topics include, but are not limited to:

• Work-life balance
• Relationships
• Childcare information
• Health and well-being
• Debt
• Disability and illness
• Careers
• Bereavement and loss
• Stress
• Sexual orientation
• Elder care information
• Life events
• Immigration
• Anxiety and depression
• Family issues
• Bullying and harassment
• Education
• Consumer rights
• Workplace pressure
• Gender identity