Non communication & delay in paying LGPS

harlequinnyc

I have requested payment of my LGPS DB pension from December but am becoming increasingly concerned that I'm not going to get it. Having read Google reviews for TWPF/Civica, everyone is saying the same thing, that they are months into retirement with no pension paid and no communication from TWPF! They will not respond via their secure messaging and people are unable to get through on the phone, or do but with no resolution. Surely they can't do this? Any experience and/or advice? 

leosayer

How long ago did you make the request?

GunJack

Maybe one for @Silvertabby to answer in more detail...

Silvertabby

Are you retiring, or are you claiming already deferred benefits?

If the latter, then there's no reason for any undue delay unless TWPF are having problems.

If you are retiring, especially in December, then that does mean there will be a delay between your last day of service and payment of your first pension/lump sum.  Even if you leave before Christmas, payroll won't finalise your account and then send your final pay details to your LGPS until after the end of December pay run.  As most LGPSs/payrolls now seem to close down between Christmas and New Year that won't be before the first week of January at the earliest.  Then your LGPS will have to do their bit.  A first payment date of end of January isn't impossible, but would be pushing it, even on a good day.  End of February would be more realistic, I'm afraid.  And that's without other delaying factors, such as AVCs or needing to calculate best pay figures.

That said, as soon as you submitted your resignation, the system should have sprung into effect.  ie, your HR should have told payroll, and payroll should have supplied your LGPS with estimated final pay figures.  Your LGPS should then have supplied you with pension figures/options based on your estimated pay (which, at this stage, should be reasonably accurate).  Have you reached this stage yet?  If not, are you sure that your HR set the ball rolling when you submitted your resignation?

harlequinnyc

Thanks @Silvertabby it's already deferred benefits which I'm claiming. Online, they state "you will receive your quote within 2 months but we aim to contact you sooner".. But another section states "we will contact you nearer the time"..? Whatever that means! It's been 2 months and I've heard nothing. Helpline has message which states you're in a queue, which is currently over 30 mins, no matter which day or time you call and no response to their secure messaging. 

I hope you're right, that being deferred benefits, I'm easier to process and I really wish I hadn't read all the worrying reviews 🙁

harlequinnyc

leosayer said:

How long ago did you make the request?

2 months ago, in September. 

hyubh

harlequinnyc said:

I have requested payment of my LGPS DB pension from December but am becoming increasingly concerned that I'm not going to get it. Having read Google reviews for TWPF/Civica, everyone is saying the same thing, that they are months into retirement with no pension paid and no communication from TWPF! They will not respond via their secure messaging and people are unable to get through on the phone, or do but with no resolution. Surely they can't do this? Any experience and/or advice? 

Civica just provide the admin software. TWPF won the admin contract for another fund during the year (or 'established a shared service' in LG speak, which really means one LA outsourcing to another). Not excusing anything, but I would guess the other fund's been harder to onboard than anticipated. (The other fund's admin was already outsourced, the third-party admin company got taken over by a second who aren't very interested in large open schemes.) 

Silvertabby

harlequinnyc said:

Thanks @Silvertabby it's already deferred benefits which I'm claiming. Online, they state "you will receive your quote within 2 months but we aim to contact you sooner".. But another section states "we will contact you nearer the time"..? Whatever that means! It's been 2 months and I've heard nothing. Helpline has message which states you're in a queue, which is currently over 30 mins, no matter which day or time you call and no response to their secure messaging. 

I hope you're right, that being deferred benefits, I'm easier to process and I really wish I hadn't read all the worrying reviews 🙁

Then there shouldn't be any reason for any undue delays, other than hyubs post, above.