Civil Service Pension Help

kjs31

My first job was in the Civil Service and I was in the Classic Pension Scheme for 10 years when I left.  I never heard from anyone about my pension again until 6 years ago when I contacted the scheme administer to request a current benefit statement. They said that they had no record of me working there but after several months they contacted me to say that they had tracked down my records and sent me a statement. 

Roll on another 6 years and I’ve still heard nothing from them but am reviewing my pension arrangements as I start thinking about retirement. I have managed to register in the portal and can see a record for my Benefits At Leaving but I do not appear to be able to access an Annual Benefit Statement via the portal. How do I request one please? I have also moved house but the portal won’t allow me up update my address either. Should I be receiving regular statements from them or are they on request only? 

la531983

You may just have to pick up the phone and speak to them again. 

hugheskevi

kjs31 said:

Roll on another 6 years and I’ve still heard nothing from them but am reviewing my pension arrangements as I start thinking about retirement. I have managed to register in the portal and can see a record for my Benefits At Leaving but I do not appear to be able to access an Annual Benefit Statement via the portal. How do I request one please? I have also moved house but the portal won’t allow me up update my address either. Should I be receiving regular statements from them or are they on request only? 

Nothing unusual here - you receive a deferred member award on leaving which you are notified about, and then that is it unless you request a deferred member statement, which you can do once per year. The scheme will not send out anything to deferred members otherwise, except possibly until close (eg 6 months) to retirement.

You can request a deferred member statement in all of the usual ways, detailed on the scheme website. You should ensure your address is up to date, as well as death-benefit nominee.

It is unclear from the screen-shots whether the figures are as at date-of-leaving (1994) or re-valued figures to the current date - this will be the main thing to be clear about for your planning.

kjs31

hugheskevi said:

It is unclear from the screen-shots whether the figures are as at date-of-leaving (1994) or re-valued figures to the current date - this will be the main thing to be clear about for your planning.

It’s a bit confusing in the previous documentation I received too. One letter dated April 2014 said that the current value was £5284 but a later statement dated October 2014 says that the pension payable is £3046. Then there is something about WPS deductions which I don’t understand as I wasn’t married at all when I worked there. 

hugheskevi

kjs31 said:

hugheskevi said:

It is unclear from the screen-shots whether the figures are as at date-of-leaving (1994) or re-valued figures to the current date - this will be the main thing to be clear about for your planning.

It’s a bit confusing in the previous documentation I received too. One letter dated April 2014 said that the current value was £5284 but a later statement dated October 2014 says that the pension payable is £3046. Then there is something about WPS deductions which I don’t understand as I wasn’t married at all when I worked there. 

So it looks like the pension at date-of-leaving in 1994 was £3,046 and lump sum of £9,140.

You can request a deferred member statement from MyCSP to see what the latest revalued amounts are.

During your period of service you appear not to have paid the 1.5% additional charge for survivor benefits, from memory there was a time when women did not pay the charge as that was the way of the world back then with regard to survivor benefits (ie male provided for female, so any female income was just pin money). Then there was a period when it was voluntary, then members were able to pay back to the missing contributions if they wished, before it became mandatory for both sexes.

I'm a bit hazy on the details from the ancient past, but either (a) you will simply be able to elect not to pay the charge, or (b) the charge will be deducted from the lump sum, but then you will get a refund, assuming you are not married at the point you commence the pension. 

kjs31

hugheskevi said:

So it looks like the pension at date-of-leaving in 1994 was £3,046 and lump sum of £9,140.

You can request a deferred member statement from MyCSP to see what the latest revalued amounts are.

During your period of service you appear not to have paid the 1.5% additional charge for survivor benefits, from memory there was a time when women did not pay the charge as that was the way of the world back then with regard to survivor benefits (ie male provided for female, so any female income was just pin money). Then there was a period when it was voluntary, then members were able to pay back to the missing contributions if they wished, before it became mandatory for both sexes.

I'm a bit hazy on the details from the ancient past, but either (a) you will simply be able to elect not to pay the charge, or (b) the charge will be deducted from the lump sum, but then you will get a refund, assuming you are not married at the point you commence the pension. 

Thanks! I’ll look up how to request the statement and ask for one. The pension is due to pay in under 18 months. 

I seem to recall that I didn’t pay any widows and orphans benefits (as it was called then) initially but then started paying maybe halfway through my tenure there. I was married after I left the service but am now widowed so I can hopefully get the charges back. Not the end of the world if not though.