The number of people leaving the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) due to redundancy or early retirement has soared in recent years, leaving some experts doubting the long-term sustainability of the retirement fund.

Data released by the Department for Communities and Local Government show that the number of people leaving the £143bn LGPS because of redundancy in 2010/11 increased by 40%, compared with figures for 2009/10, to more than 17,600.