Missing Pension

magicpanther · 1 October at 10:45AM

Looking for clues from the forum....
I worked for The Blackpool County Court (Lord Chancellors' Department) between 1990 and 1994. I paid into their pension scheme but cannot find it. I have been down the avenues of Government Pension Finder, Gretel and Civil Service Pensions plus HMRC who replied saying there is proof at PCSPS but no reference or further information. All the avenues seem to be dead ends. Can anyone point to a hidden path?

Marcon · 1 October at 11:00AM

magicpanther said:

Looking for clues from the forum....
I worked for The Blackpool County Court (Lord Chancellors' Department) between 1990 and 1994. I paid into their pension scheme but cannot find it. I have been down the avenues of Government Pension Finder, Gretel and Civil Service Pensions plus HMRC who replied saying there is proof at PCSPS but no reference or further information. All the avenues seem to be dead ends. Can anyone point to a hidden path?

If HMRC confirm you were a member of the PCSPS, I wonder why the scheme can't find you? Have you given them all the relevant information - full name (and any previous names), NI number, DOB, address at the time of employment and now - and if so, what was the reply?

Are you absolutely certain you didn't move (transfer) your benefits from that scheme to another one? It's surprisingly easy to forget, particularly after a gap of around 30 years.

If that still draws a blank, see https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6267734/is-there-a-really-detailed-online-method-to-check-nics/p1 and try the route suggested in my post of 15 May 2021. You'll need to read that thread (sorry, it's quite lengthy!) to see how and why that could help. The PCSPS was definitely contracted out, so if you have benefits there, the information you get will confirm your membership.

Silvertabby · 1 October at 11:12AM

Were you full or part time? If part time, then you may not have been eligible to join the pension scheme (rules changed in 1995).

However, if HMRC have confirmed that you were a member of the PSCPS, that's unlikely.

Or, did you actually pay into the scheme for these 4 years, or did you join late/opt out? If you left with less than 2 years pension fund membership, then you would have been offered a refund of your contributions.

Final long shot - try Lancashire County Council LGPS, just in case there was a block transfer from the PCSPS to the LGPS. (Has been done in the past).