New Capita-run Civil Service Pension Scheme - problems (what a surprise!)

Mikalis

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82039468#Comment_82039468

Thanks for the info, we will contact Capita and see what they say. It would be helpful to get a complete benefits statement.

johnnyfreedosh

As I mentioned in a previous post I didn't get my finalisation letter till about 3 weeks after I finally got my pension...…my letter contained only the pension & lump sum figures. That letter has been the one and only piece of correspondence I ever had from them - no payslips - and portal is an absolute joke.

A friend of mine retired in Jan (a month after me) and his quote was missing 10 years worth of service - he queried it and pointed out his correct service was on his ABS.......he was told it would be passed back to the "Famous" finalisation team.....he's still waiting a resolution while living off savings.

My wife is still waiting for her quote for her deferred pension. The only info she has received was a letter (after waiting months) asking for her to confirm her address - !!!!!!

Capita are being exposed for what they really are "Cowboys"

kermchem

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82039349#Comment_82039349

Happy to be corrected, but my understanding of the Alpha ABS issued in August 2025 setting out the position at 31 March 2025 is that it was a snapshot that gave the pension she could expect at normal pension age (66 or 67?) if she made no more contributions after 31 March 2025. Yes, she has made further contributions. Question - has she retired at normal pension age or early?

It is criminal that retirees are being sent quotes without the underlying data or calculation. I use the word criminal with real meaning. Perhaps someone might do a Subject Access Request for all the personal data Capita hold about them. That must include the full calculation.

Mikalis

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82039629#Comment_82039629

My wife retired on her 66th birthday, we are going to challenge the figure provided by Capita.

As I previously quoted they have the cheek to make the following statement in their quote letter

'Your Annual Benefits Statement (ABS) is an estimate based on your
position up to 31 March of the relevant tax year. Your pension quote
uses more recent information and includes all the relevant adjustments,
so it will be more accurate. It is normal for your quote to differ from
your ABS. You should use your pension quote to make retirement
decisions'

I can imagine a scenario where someone's quote is not so glaringly wrong and they accept it without question. You are right to say that it is outrageous to send out quotes without the underlying data or calculation

Mikalis

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82039695#Comment_82039695

Maybe what Capita should be saying is something along the lines of, your quote is provisional but we will proceed on that basis in order to get your pension into payment. At a later date we will provide you will a full breakdown of your data and how your pension is calculated, you will then have an opportunity to have any errors corrected.

Or is that just asking for more headaches down the line.

hugheskevi

For nuvos and alpha, each Annual Benefit Statement gives a detailed breakdown of the starting value of the pension, the pensionable earnings for the year, the amount of nuvos or alpha pension accrued, the revaluation figure, and the closing value which then becomes the opening value for the following year.

So there is a continual record and detailed breakdown of pension accrued. Or there would be if past ABS were available in the portal. That is the opportunity to monitor pension accrual and challenge any inconsistencies, which should only arise around pensionable earnings unless something like maternity leave or suchlike is involved unless payroll records themselves are incorrect.

Then it is just a bit of extra pensionable earnings and accrual to add to the last ABS figure to get to the final pension figure as at last day of service.

The older final salary schemes are more difficult. Classic will usually, although not always, be quite accurate on the ABS, but Premium and Classic Plus can be considerably inaccurate due to the way final pensionable earnings are calculated under scheme rules (the ABS simplifies things by just using salary as at 31st March).

Golactico

Some advice to all. Always take good note of whatever hugheskevi posts. I've been active on several Civil Service Pension threads over the years and his posts are always extremely knowledgeable, helpful and reliably accurate. I'll take this opportunity to thank you for this hugheskevi.

Mikalis

My wife has just composed a message challenging her quote. It will not surprise you to learn that when she made repeated attempts to send it via the portal she kept getting an error message

johnnyfreedosh

Even if it does send they probably won't bother answering it.

I have 7 historic messages in my portal dating back till start of Dec 25 and not one was answered - ironically all now saying "In Progress" 😂

NewtsInThePond

Came across this article from January this year, while doing an online search about Capita. Capita secures three-year extension to BBC TV Licensing contract | Capita

"Capita is a modern outsourcer, helping clients across the public and private sectors run complex business processes more efficiently, creating better consumer experiences". Gee whiz, what a breezy audacious statement they pen about themselves!?! They are certainly not showing us any of the "efficient and better customer experience" with their atrocious management of our pensions money!!!! 😆