Transferring into Alpha Civil Service pension

joshimoto

Has anyone else experienced extremely long waits transferring in to a civil service pension plan? 

They give civil service employees 12 months to transfer in from previous providers, which seems like a long time, but the service is, for want of a better word, painfully tedious. 

I joined the CS in mid-August last year, and after a few months attended a pension webinar which advised about this. By the time I got round to organising the transfer from 3 previous plans it was mid-December, which would still give me 8 months to transfer - which seemed like plenty enough at the time. 

The civil service pension webpage says it will take 2 weeks from them receiving the documents to them requesting quotes from the previous pensions. In my case it has taken more than 4 months to acknowledge receipt of these documents.

I have attempted contacting them on a couple of occasions since December to find out about progress, aware of the tightening timeframe. I finally managed to get a confirmation they had received my documents in mid April, four months after sending in my forms, and now only four months until the window closes. They say it will likely be another few months to get quotes back from my providers and that it is my responsibility to chivvy these old providers along (which I'm fine with, but the whole process doesn't feel joined up or efficient).

Yes, I understand the limitations on resource of the public sector, but I don't believe this is an acceptable level of service or turnaround time. I'm curious to hear about other people's experiences with this, and whether MSE may lend weight behind improvements to the process from a customer perspective.

What is clear is that 12 months feels like a long time from the outset, but in reality may not be sufficient in many cases. Granted I could have applied sooner, but unless you know about the timeframe as soon as you start work, you're on the back foot.

Thanks

TheSpectator

MyCSP are appalingly bad but I will correct you that they are part of the public sector, thay are a private company who administer Civil Service Pensions. As bad as they are every member will dread the day that the contract moves to Capita (1st September I believe).

Can only suggest you go down the formal complaint route.

hugheskevi

Has anyone else experienced extremely long waits transferring in to a civil service pension plan? 

Many - a very long wait is the expectation, not the exception.

I joined the CS in mid-August last year, and after a few months attended a pension webinar which advised about this. By the time I got round to organising the transfer from 3 previous plans it was mid-December, which would still give me 8 months to transfer - which seemed like plenty enough at the time. 

Hopefully you have done calculations and considered whether a transfer is best for your circumstances? Alpha offers the certainty of a lifetime, inflation-linked, income which is very attractive, but the cost of it is high.

They say it will likely be another few months to get quotes back from my providers and that it is my responsibility to chivvy these old providers along (which I'm fine with, but the whole process doesn't feel joined up or efficient).

It isn't joined up or efficient. Be particularly careful not to get into a situation where the pension providers are blaming each other for delays, either side is likely to happily down tools at the slightest excuse and without any notification to you, unless you are chasing.

Yes, I understand the limitations on resource of the public sector, but I don't believe this is an acceptable level of service or turnaround time. I'm curious to hear about other people's experiences with this, and whether MSE may lend weight behind improvements to the process from a customer perspective.

It has been the same for years. Maybe the change of administrator to Capita in December will change things, but probably not.

What is clear is that 12 months feels like a long time from the outset, but in reality may not be sufficient in many cases. Granted I could have applied sooner, but unless you know about the timeframe as soon as you start work, you're on the back foot.

The 12 months can be extended, and will be extended where you have applied in good time and responded promptly to everything (ie, exceeding 12 months is not your fault).