Long service award
Long service award FAQs
- Which retailers can I purchase a long service award from?
- Why can't I choose my gift from certain retailers?
- Can I order from an online store?
- Can I order more than one gift?
- Can I order something on sale or on offer?
- Can I order something worth more than the value of the award?
- Can I receive a cash sum?
- Can I pay for the gift with the retailer and claim the money back?
- Do I have to pay anything when I collect my gift?
- Will Lancashire County Council pay the VAT on top of the £301 (the rate from 1.7.19)?
- What happens after I submit my claim form?
- What awards am I eligible for after 20 years' service?
- Is there a deadline for claiming a long service award?
- What if I wait and claim the award at a later date?
- When can I take the extra day's leave?
- Do I get an extra day's leave for each future leave year?
- I have two jobs. Can I claim two long service awards?
- I have worked for the council before but had a break in service. Will my previous service count?
- Do I only get the award if I leave Lancashire County Council?
- Does the long service award still apply when there is a death in service?
- What if my service with the county council is teaching and non-teaching?
- I worked in another authority before 1974. Will this service count?
- I transferred to the county council under TUPE. Will I be eligible for the long service award?
Which retailers can I purchase a long service award from?
When choosing your gift you will need to ask the retailer whether they are willing to accept an LCC purchase order. If not, you will need to find an alternative supplier.
A list of suppliers/retailers who will accept LCC purchase orders can be accessed on the next page.
Long Service Awards cannot be ordered from:
- Argos
- Asda
- Debenhams
- Marks & Spencer
- Sainsburys
- Tesco or
- John Lewis
as they do not accept a purchase order from us.
Why can't I choose my gift from certain retailers?
The specified supplier has to be able to provide LCC with a VAT invoice or receipt (with the VAT element of a purchase listed separately to the non-VAT element) in order for LCC to be able to claim back the VAT it has paid.
Retailers that do not do this mean we are unable to claim back the VAT.
Can I order a gift from an online store?
There may be an opportunity to make a purchase from some online stores. Retailers such as Currys, AO.com, Richer Sounds and others do have a working relationship with the Long Service Awards Team. Once the award is processed, your contact details will be shared with the retailer. They will make contact with you directly to confirm delivery requirements and to collect payment (if applicable). It is your responsibility, as the customer, to agree the order and delivery preferences.
Retailers such as Amazon and Argos are unable to process long service awards.
Can I order more than one gift?
Yes, you can order more than one item as long as it is from the same retailer and can be made on one order form. You cannot order more than one gift if they are from different retailers.
Can I order something on sale or on offer?
We would advise employees to avoid choosing a gift that is on offer or at a sale price. Due to the large volume of employees who are eligible to claim the long service award, and who may claim the award at the same time, we cannot guarantee the order will be processed whilst the offer is valid.
Can I order something worth more than the value of the award?
Yes. You will need to provide full details of the item and the full price on the claim form. The county council will then write a purchase order for the vendor specifying what its contribution will be and that the employee will pay the balance on collection of the goods.
Can I receive a cash sum?
No. The award must take the form of a tangible gift.
Can I pay for the gift directly with the retailer and claim back the money?
No. When Lancashire County Council pay for the award they are able to claim back the VAT. This amount is then passed on to the employee so that the employee can obtain a gift to the value of the award plus VAT. If the employee pays for the gift directly, only the amount without VAT can be paid by Lancashire County Council.
Do I have to pay anything when I collect my gift?
Only if you have chosen a gift which has a value above the long service award. If so, you will need to pay the balance to the retailer when you collect your gift.
Will Lancashire County Council pay the VAT on top of the £380 (the rate from 1.07.23)?
Yes.
What happens after I submit my claim form?
The Long Service Award Team will complete an order form and send it to the shop/retailer you have quoted. You will also receive a letter with a copy of the order form enclosed.
The letter instructs the retailer to send an invoice to the county council who upon receipt will send payment. You can collect your gift from the shop once the retailer has received the order.
What awards am I eligible for after 20 years' service?
Employees are eligible to claim a long service award to a value of £380 (exclusive of VAT) (rate effective from 1 July 2023). They are also entitled to an additional one day's annual leave to be taken within 12 months of the date they have achieved 20 years' service.
Is there a deadline for claiming a long service award?
No. Employees will be able to leave it and claim it when they finally leave their employment with Lancashire County Council if they wish, whenever that might be.
What if I wait and claim the award at a later date?
If you are still in employment with the authority and choose to claim the award at a later date, the value of the award will be the amount it is in the year that you claim it, not the amount it was when you achieved 20 years' service.
However if you leave the authority and choose not to claim the award straight away, then the value of the award will be the value it was in the year you left, not at the value it is when you choose to claim it.
When can I take the extra day's leave?
You must take the additional day within 12 months of the date you attain 20 years' service. When you actually take the day is agreed between you and your manager as per the usual annual leave booking arrangements in your service.
Do I get an extra day's leave for each future leave year?
No. The extra day's leave only applies in the 12 months following the date you attain 20 years' service.
I have two jobs. Can I claim two long service awards?
No. Only one long service award can be claimed per person.
I have worked for the council before but had a break in service. Will my previous service count?
Yes. Service with the county council does not have to be continuous in order to be eligible. As long as you have 20 years in total with Lancashire County Council then you will be able to claim the award.
Do I only get the award if I leave Lancashire County Council?
No. You do not have to leave the county council in order to claim the award. You can claim the award any time you like after attaining 20 years' service, including when you leave. However, if you have already claimed your award you cannot then claim another award when you leave.
Does the long service award still apply when there is a death in service?
No. Long service awards are no longer applicable when there is a death in service.
What if my service with the county council is made up of teaching and non-teaching?
The 20 years' long service scheme does not apply to teachers, as teachers remain on their current terms and are subject to the 25 year long service scheme. If you are currently a teacher, then the 20 year long service award will not apply to you.
However if you are currently a non teacher, with 20 years' service with LCC (regardless of whether this has been teaching service in the past) then you will be eligible for the long service award.
I worked in another authority before 1974. Will this service count?
Service with constituent authorities prior to the Local Government Reorganisation in 1974 will count as service as long as you transferred on 1 April 1974 or were employed there immediately prior to starting work with the county council before 31 March 1974.
I transferred to the county council under TUPE. Will I be eligible for the long service award?
Yes. The TUPE Regulations provide for any service with the transferor (i.e. the employer immediately prior to the transfer) to count as continuous service with your new employer so this service can be counted towards the 20 years.
All employees affected by the review of terms and conditions at EPR were moved onto the county council's new terms and conditions from 1 August 2010. This includes all existing TUPE transferred staff who were working at that time under terms and conditions which transferred across with them from their former employer.