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

LozDee

xylophone said:

end-Oct and applied for late August.

That was a late application to bring the pension into payment so it is unsurprising that you are still waiting.  

.....https: ...

If you want to claim your pension, please complete the Online Change of Details and Retirement Form – Deferred Members   at least 4 months before your planned retirement date.

With all the disruption arising from change of administrator, you may have to be patient.

When I say I applied, this was the completed final request/submission, post-receipt and review of the pension quotes, for which I started the process in June.

I am generally patient but it is frustrating not receiving any form of acknowledgement, not receiving payment and not being able to access the portal to check.

The income is needed to secure somewhere to live which is causing my anxiety.  With neither MyCSP nor Capita operating effectively, I'm stuck.

Surely there could have at least been an acknowledgement since end-August...

ljayljay

ali_bear said:

Five months until mine is due. Should I start the claim now? Or wait until the system is working better. I don't mind much if it starts paying late as long as I don't miss out on any. 

May as well, as the advise is to apply at least 4 months in advance of retirement.

I applied for my pension approx a month ago, this was 5 months before due date & heard nothing yet, not even an acknowledgement, so probably no point delaying application.

I assume the transfer from MyCSP to Capita hasn't helped. Plus McCloud resolution will be involved in my application as involves Nuvos & Alpha. Assuming all my pension will be available at 65 instead of split between 65 & my NPA at 67. Although, fortunately not desperate, I would be a bit annoyed if 5 months wasn't enough time to pay my entitlement when it is due.

xylophone

Should I start the claim now?

Given the "at least four months", if I were you I'd get the ball rolling.

xylophone

it is frustrating 

Yes, particularly as you have a pressing need for the money and had reached the point of final figures at the end of August.

https://www.pcs.org.uk/news-events/news/civil-service-pension-scheme-crisis

Yorkie1

ljayljay said:

ali_bear said:

Five months until mine is due. Should I start the claim now? Or wait until the system is working better. I don't mind much if it starts paying late as long as I don't miss out on any. 

May as well, as the advise is to apply at least 4 months in advance of retirement.

I applied for my pension approx a month ago, this was 5 months before due date & heard nothing yet, not even an acknowledgement, so probably no point delaying application.

I assume the transfer from MyCSP to Capita hasn't helped. Plus McCloud resolution will be involved in my application as involves Nuvos & Alpha. Assuming all my pension will be available at 65 instead of split between 65 & my NPA at 67. Although, fortunately not desperate, I would be a bit annoyed if 5 months wasn't enough time to pay my entitlement when it is due.

You can take Nuvos unreduced at 65. Alpha is state pension age, but you could take those years at 65 but reduced for longer payment (current figure to have it paid 2 years early at 65 is to multiply by 0.897 to reach the reduced value).

ljayljay

Yorkie1 said:

ljayljay said:

ali_bear said:

Five months until mine is due. Should I start the claim now? Or wait until the system is working better. I don't mind much if it starts paying late as long as I don't miss out on any. 

May as well, as the advise is to apply at least 4 months in advance of retirement.

I applied for my pension approx a month ago, this was 5 months before due date & heard nothing yet, not even an acknowledgement, so probably no point delaying application.

I assume the transfer from MyCSP to Capita hasn't helped. Plus McCloud resolution will be involved in my application as involves Nuvos & Alpha. Assuming all my pension will be available at 65 instead of split between 65 & my NPA at 67. Although, fortunately not desperate, I would be a bit annoyed if 5 months wasn't enough time to pay my entitlement when it is due.

You can take Nuvos unreduced at 65. Alpha is state pension age, but you could take those years at 65 but reduced for longer payment (current figure to have it paid 2 years early at 65 is to multiply by 0.897 to reach the reduced value).

Yes but as all of my Alpha falls within the remedy period (I left in 2020). I am led to believe that I will be entitled to convert all of my Alpha to Nuvos & thereby receive 2 years earlier as Nuvos unreduced.

Golactico

As the starter of this thread, I have just re-logged in to the CSP portal today. My service record is no longer wrong - it has disappeared altogether!
On a more positive note, my wife has now appeared as the beneficiary of my currently non-existent pension benefits.

Frugaliza

Veed123 said:

I applied to retire after 36 years service six months before my retirement date, my 55th birthday on 30/11/25. I was in touch with MyCSP quite a few times during the process. On 13/11/25 I was assured in a call with them that everything was in order. They would finalise the detail on 24/11/25, my lump sum would be paid a few days after my birthday and that I'd receive a confirmation letter. I called on 25/11/25 to enquire about the letter etc. I was informed that they were in "black out" for the transition and had no details about me to view. I was never informed of a "black out". They also informed me that my Pension would not be received the following week as promised. I've been on the phone every day since 1/12/25 (waiting times an hour at a time before you get through),  today I have been advised my full details have still to migrate, they can't give me a date for this, or a date for receipt of my pension. I have a mortgage and bills to pay soon. The facts that I'm worried about financial hardship and the impact this is having on my mental health mean nothing and I've never been able to get past the call centre to speak to someone more senior. Do not get me started on the "new" Portal! A point of interest though, during one call, the agent intimated that Capita had gone live a bit too early! Too right! This hasn't been a data migration, it's been a quick "swith on" probably to meet a deadline for implementation that should have been pulled until all member information was in the new system! 

I'm sorry to hear your pension and lump sum have been delayed.  Have they paid you yet?  I am worried as I may have a similar situation which is this: 

On 2/9/25 I gave notice that I would retire on 30/1/26. My pension quote is due anytime between 19/12/25 and 2/1/26 (i.e. 4 - 6 weeks before my retirement date). My first pension payment should be due at the end of February 2026.

On 15/12/25 I successfully registered onto Capita's new system and created an account.  There were no problems with registering and they have my beneficiaries recorded correctly. However, there are no annual benefit statements available and no access to any kind of retirement modeller.  I'm not too worried about this as I had previously downloaded my ABS's. 

I rang yesterday and was on hold for 2 hours starting at 58th in the queue.  The call handler was able to confirm my notice of retirement has been received and my file is marked that a pension quote is due.  He also said lots of people’s details have not migrated to the new system and could not give any reassurance that I would receive my quote on time, or even that pension payments would be made on time. 

Technically my quote won’t be late unless it hasn’t been received by close of play on 2 January, so I know I shouldn’t let the worryometer start pinging until then, but try telling my brain that at 4am!

Any advice, reassurance, or shared experiences very welcome.

 

ClashCityRocker1

I got my quote very early May 2025 for retirement starting 01/07/2025 - TWO months before - which is when I was told I would get it. 

It's possible that there are now delays and they are saying 4-6 weeks but the old Civil Service pension website said 2 months before.

ClashCityRocker1

4. We'll send you a quote

Around 2 months before your planned retirement date we’ll send you a quote of your pension amount, an option form and personal details form.

For those members impacted by 2015 Remedy (McCloud), it will also include a choice about how you would like part of your benefits to be calculated.

You should complete and return your forms to us as soon as possible.