Deferred LGPS pension due to start paying - not heard anything

MankyVegSoup

I wonder if any LGPS insiders can help?

I have a deferred pension from my first jobs in local government. 1983 - 1991. My last benefits statement has normal retirement date of my 60th birthday which was last week.

I've heard nothing from West Midlands Pension fund. I called them in February to check that the retirement date was correct and they said it was and that they would write to me nearer the time. I've had no letters or emails (they have my correct email address).

I've tried calling the helpline again and gave up after 40 minutes on hold. Messages via the portal have gone unanswered. 

Is this normal? Is there anything else I can do other than grit it out on hold to the helpline?

Brie

You could try emailing.  I would think that you will need to apply to have this put into payment as you'll need to decide about tax free lump sums etc and likely provide a copy of suitable ID.  

Brie

https://www.wmpfonline.com/emailus

And then follow up with a call if nothing is heard after 2 weeks.

MankyVegSoup

Brie said:

https://www.wmpfonline.com/emailus

And then follow up with a call if nothing is heard after 2 weeks.

Thanks

 Spotted this on the link "Our Customer Services Team are currently receiving a high volume of emails and response times are currently longer than our usual 10 working days."

I emailed a week ago but got no response. Not surprising if they are not processing new pensions and this is the kind of service levels they work to. 

Won't go on a spending spree just yet. Luckily I don't need either the lump sum or monthly amount urgently.

Silvertabby

Under normal circumstances, you should have received your options letter and claim forms about a month before your birthday.

Unfortunately, from my ex colleagues, I know that the LGPS is still battling through a covid backlog.

As has been mentioned, try e-mailing them for an update.  Just a thought, but do they have your current postal address?

MankyVegSoup

Thanks everyone. Have checked that all my details are correct. Won't bother trying to call the helpline this week as it's Easter. Will try again after the break (unless I miraculously get an answer to my email).

xylophone

they said it was and that they would write to me nearer the time. I've had no letters or emails (they have my correct email address).

Then, (assuming that your postal/e-mail addresses are indeed correct),  it seems that there has been an administrative failure.

https://www.berkshirepensions.org.uk/bpf/members/former-members/claiming-your-deferred-pension-benefits/how-do-i-claim-my-pension

We will contact you automatically approximately two months before your 60th birthday confirming the retirement options available to you. It is important that you keep us notified of any future changes in your address. 

Presumably you have the postal address for the Administrator of your section of the Scheme.

You can make a formal written complaint regarding the non - contact/reply to your enquiries - it would be a good idea to send it "signed for".

Have you obtained a  state pension forecast?

https://www.gov.uk/check-state-pension

MankyVegSoup

Yes - am on top of the state pension.

Of course, it's possible Royal Mail have lost the letter - post has been particularly diabolical here lately. But I would have expected something to have appeared in the pension online portal (where my annual benefit statements appear). 

There is a postal address so that's an option too if I don't manage to get through on the phone or a reply to my email.

Thrugelmir

MankyVegSoup said:

There is a postal address so that's an option too if I don't manage to get through on the phone or a reply to my email.

If you've sent an email,  and as you've already noted is sitting in a queue that is already backlogged. No amount of complaining or chasing via other means is going to get you dealt with any quicker before those in front of you. The approach taken will be oldest first. The more time that can spent productively clearing the back log the better. Won't be helped currently by the Easter Holidays either. 

xylophone

No amount of complaining or chasing via other means is going to get you dealt with any quicker before those in front of you. 

The OP still has the right to make a complaint - there has been an administrative failure and it seems to me that the universal covid excuse has started to wear very, very thin.

OldBeanz

Business Continuity Planning is inherent with ISO27001 - someone has failed to plan properly and to test any plan. Complain to the Data Protection Officer about a Denial of Service