Transferring occupational pension to Civil Service pension scheme

Boom_Boom

I want to transfer 2 previous occupational pensions to the civil service pension scheme. The civil service has wrote to my 2 occupational providers but they have refused so sign the equalisation of benefits form or provide their own suitably worded document and just basically not responded. So, where does this leave me and what options do I have, if any?

RichandJ

Your previous schemes won't sign an equalisation form because it leaves them open to potential future costs further down the line due to either judicial acticity (homegrown or from our real govenment in Brussels*) or legislative changes in the UK affecting protected rights benefits, e.g. SERPS S2P etc.

Where you go from here depends on what your previous schemes are. If they're final salary do your deferred benefits increase in line with inflation in deferment, increase in payment, refund your contributions and/or pay a spouse's benefit if you die before retirement and pay a spouse's pension if you die after retirement. You need to know what you might be potentially giving up before transferring elsewhere and, as other will doubtless be along to advise, you'll find it very difficult to transfer such benefits to a money purchase arrangement.

* Equalisation arose as a result of a ruling from the European Court of Justice in 1990.