Tips on contacting MyCSP

SimonSeys

Thanks @hugheskevi - really helpful as ever. 

I hope you’re not offended, but I like to double check everything and EPN is definitive on Active pension members (I wouldn’t have found this on my own so thank you)
https://www.civilservicepensionscheme.org.uk/media/bejmyhfz/epn435-cscs-and-alpha.pdf

Have done some more digging, and on pensionable earnings, Rule A4 (4) in the 2002 section says: 

(4) If the member was not an active member during the whole of the period of 12 months mentioned in paragraph (1)(a) or (2)(a), that paragraph applies as if it referred to the member's annualised permanent pensionable earnings in the active membership period ending with the last day of his reckonable service.

Other than a switch from partnership to alpha, or a career break or similar, I’m struggling to think of any circumstances where someone retiring would not have been an active member for the full last 12 months.  New joiners would get a refund of contributions and >5 years would have broken the link completely 

So my interpretation is that in my case, the  12 months leg of the ‘best of three’ - ie (1)(a) - will be done on an annualised basis.  There’s nothing similar for (1)(b) which I think / hope might mean that rejoining doesn’t complete a scheme year. 

What do you think?

I’m not 100% confident by à long shot, so will have to wait and see what happens.  That’s assuming a) my place offer VR, b) that I choose to apply, and c) that I’m successful!  None of which are guaranteed, but fortunately I’m content with my current lot and could quite happily work a few more years.

Thanks again for the info, really appreciate it
Si

hugheskevi

I think a lot pivots on the precise definition of an active member. This is set out in rule A7, but is not illuminating. In particular, it would be necessary to know for a Partnership member who rejoins within 5 rejoins, is their period in Partnership considered to be active in alpha or not? 

Intuitively, you would say no, but rejoining means the deferred award is cancelled, and therefore they must have been an active member, as they were not a deferred member nor a pensioner member.

I'm not sure that even A4(4) is entirely clear, but I think there would be a good argument to say that if you rejoined alpha from Partnership shortly before leaving, then leg 1 will be based on annual pensionable earnings as at last day of service. This would be logical, as otherwise you essentially forfeit leg 1 as a good chunk of the earnings over last 12 months would be nil, whilst in Partnership. But for the other legs there is little to go on. Even if one or more of those legs was zero, it doesn't matter, as the look-back period is so long. So I can see a definition being taken in those that it is just the scheme year earnings, regardless of whether they are low or even zero.

I don't think any certainty would be obtained from rules, not enough to rely on anyway, and any documents don't carry any weight as scheme rules will apply in all circumstances regardless of what literature may or may not say. So I think everything ends up coming back something in writing from the scheme administrator prior to relying on it to make a decision.

SimonSeys

Thanks.  Have asked MyCSP by message, so will see what they say.  Will post back here when they respond. 

SimonSeys

Although I’ve just noticed (5 mins after posting!) that G.2 (2) says that the member may opt for previous service to be aggregated (my bold) and subsequent paragraphs make it clear that the option does not have to be exercised. 

But will confirm with MyCSP

hugheskevi

SimonSeys said:

Although I’ve just noticed (5 mins after posting!) that G.2 (2) says that the member may opt for previous service to be aggregated (my bold) and subsequent paragraphs make it clear that the option does not have to be exercised. 

All aggregation rules were superseded by the Public Service Pension Act 2013, which requires that rejoining within 5 years of leaving automatically cancels a deferred award, and rejoining after 5 years prohibits a previous award from being aggregated.

SimonSeys

hugheskevi said:

SimonSeys said:

Although I’ve just noticed (5 mins after posting!) that G.2 (2) says that the member may opt for previous service to be aggregated (my bold) and subsequent paragraphs make it clear that the option does not have to be exercised. 

All aggregation rules were superseded by the Public Service Pension Act 2013, which requires that rejoining within 5 years of leaving automatically cancels a deferred award, and rejoining after 5 years prohibits a previous award from being aggregated.

Thanks again.  You clearly know your onions.  Have you thought about doing this for a living? 😉

I hope my questions aren’t irritating.  I thought I was all sorted but the possibility of VR changes things, and I like to try and understand things - especially something so important!

Si

hugheskevi

SimonSeys said:

hugheskevi said:

SimonSeys said:

Although I’ve just noticed (5 mins after posting!) that G.2 (2) says that the member may opt for previous service to be aggregated (my bold) and subsequent paragraphs make it clear that the option does not have to be exercised. 

All aggregation rules were superseded by the Public Service Pension Act 2013, which requires that rejoining within 5 years of leaving automatically cancels a deferred award, and rejoining after 5 years prohibits a previous award from being aggregated.

Thanks again.  You clearly know your onions.  Have you thought about doing this for a living? 😉

I hope my questions aren’t irritating.  I thought I was all sorted but the possibility of VR changes things, and I like to try and understand things - especially something so important!

I've been thinking more about not doing it for a living as of late   

I like questions of detail - it has long been a frustration to me that the level of detail provided to premium and classic plus members is woefully inadequate, and leads to people not being aware they can take actions that could benefit them by tens of thousands of pounds. The best that can be said is that almost all of them never realise what they could have done, so they never have any regret.