State Pension

farquarpigmix

Silvertabby wrote: »

farquarpigmix - with over 5 years calendar service (and no loss of service a la molerat!) sounds like you'll be ok. However, 5 years 11 days isn't a standard engagement. Was it your choice to leave?

Kynthia - that's the theory.................

Yes it was.

Silvertabby

farquarpigmix - then it sounds like you'll be ok. You probably won't get your estimate back from AFPS until after Christmas/NY now, but I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Don't forget that you'll have to actually claim your AFPS pension just before your 60th birthday - even though they will have your address from the estimate request they won't contact you again - the ball is 100% in your court.

Incidentally, you're not alone in not realising that you may have some AFPS benefits due. I recently bumped into an old service friend and, as we are much of an age, I asked her if she had applied for her deferred RAF pension when she had hit 60. I know that she had had the pension information pack - because I was the one who gave it to her all those years ago ! To my horror, she assured me that she wasn't entitled to a pension because she had only done 12 years, not 22 as I had. I don't think she believed me until she put in her claim - but she is now one very happy bunny! It's scary to think how many more ex-forces are out there who have made the same mistake. And I suspect that there are wives/children who are missing out on dependants pensions because their ex-service spouse didn't tell them that they had deferred benefits payable on death.

If you are still in touch with some of your former service friends it may be worth while telling them about it.

farquarpigmix

Silvertabby wrote: »

farquarpigmix - then it sounds like you'll be ok. You probably won't get your estimate back from AFPS until after Christmas/NY now, but I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Don't forget that you'll have to actually claim your AFPS pension just before your 60th birthday - even though they will have your address from the estimate request they won't contact you again - the ball is 100% in your court.

Incidentally, you're not alone in not realising that you may have some AFPS benefits due. I recently bumped into an old service friend and, as we are much of an age, I asked her if she had applied for her deferred RAF pension when she had hit 60. I know that she had had the pension information pack - because I was the one who gave it to her all those years ago ! To my horror, she assured me that she wasn't entitled to a pension because she had only done 12 years, not 22 as I had. I don't think she believed me until she put in her claim - but she is now one very happy bunny! It's scary to think how many more ex-forces are out there who have made the same mistake. And I suspect that there are wives/children who are missing out on dependants pensions because their ex-service spouse didn't tell them that they had deferred benefits payable on death.

If you are still in touch with some of your former service friends it may be worth while telling them about it.

Until I see written proof I will believe it. Watch this space. Have a very merry Christmas & all the best for 2017 everyone.

farquarpigmix

Ok received letter back.

It says Preserved pension payable at age 60: £1,342.43

Preserved Terminal grant at age 60: £4,027.29

Reckonable service: 4 years 362 days. Now on my leaving book it says 5 years 11 days.

They say for the 14 days it was Special unpaid leave

When I joined myself & others were sent home for two weeks. But they paid us two weeks money?

saver861

I thought some folk on here would recognise a wind up .... apparently not it seems.

molerat

saver861 wrote: »

I thought some folk on here would recognise a wind up .... apparently not it seems.

Why so ? ..............

Silvertabby

Ok received letter back.

It says Preserved pension payable at age 60: £1,342.43

Preserved Terminal grant at age 60: £4,027.29

Reckonable service: 4 years 362 days. Now on my leaving book it says 5 years 11 days.

They say for the 14 days it was Special unpaid leave

When I joined myself & others were sent home for two weeks. But they paid us two weeks money?

Good result. The 2 weeks special leave would have been paid - it was quite common due the the difficulty of aligning basic training and then trade training dates. AFPS have obviously counted these 2 weeks - otherwise you'd have been under the requisite 5 years pensionable service.

thought some folk on here would recognise a wind up .... apparently not it seems.

Saver861 - what wind up?

xylophone

Saver861 - what wind up?

Well, having said

Because I must have contracted out at some time?

and

best part is I can't remember contracting out?

and answered a question about whether he had ever been employed by a company with a contracted out scheme or for a public service with

best part is I can't remember contracting out?

and

Sorry what's DB pension?

he then said

I know am entitled to Royal mail pension.

I suppose he could have gone through a few years with Royal Mail without knowing about contracting out or the meaning of a defined benefits pension but it seems unlikely.....

Silvertabby

I suppose he could have gone through a few years with Royal Mail without knowing about contracting out or the meaning of a defined benefits pension but it seems unlikely.....

xylophone - prepare to be educated. If the LGPS is anything to go by, a huge amount of people still have no idea about contracting out or the difference between DC and DB pensions. You only have to look at the complaints on these boards and others from members of contracted out final salary schemes who still expected to get the full new State pension of £155 per week.

The enquiries I dealt with during my time as a LGPS administrator ranged from 'can I opt out - I'd rather have this money in my pocket than the Council's' to 'how much have I paid in and will I get it all back'. I retired earlier this year, before contracting out ended, but I know that my former colleagues have been swamped with complaints from people who are now paying full NI conts - a common theme is that they know this is 'something to do' with the LGPS pension and do they really have to pay it.

xylophone

a common theme is that they know this is 'something to do' with the LGPS pension and do they really have to pay it.

Surely LGPS contacted all members prior to the change to advise them why they would be paying higher NI?

https://www.yourpensionservice.org.uk/news/?id=2015/08/21/79649&news=882&page=pr&_