g. Retirement gratuities

Some older contracts may indicate that the council will make a retirement gratuity payment to a person retiring from the employment in certain circumstances.  Such gratuity payments were permitted in lieu of a pension under the Local Government (Discretionary Payments) Regulations 1996, until the regulations were revoked in 2012.

Where there appears to be a pre-2012 'extant contractual obligation' to make such a payment, councils are strongly advised to seek legal confirmation and a calculation of the amount permitted to be paid. 

NALC have issued an advice note on their website - Retirement gratuities. [To access the NALC website you will need to set up an individual account (SALC members only). Video guidance on how to do this is available here - https://youtu.be/zapNDmP8jjY?si=jtXhLh0Wm5ANHrO4]

NALC are able to advise councils on individual cases.  Enquiries should be submitted via SALC in the normal way, ensuring a copy of the original contract is included.