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

Yorkie1

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82122589#Comment_82122589

It represents my EPA -3 as “Pension payable from age 65”, falsely turning an entitlement defined relative to my NPA, and therefore SPA, into one payable at a fixed age. 

It's not even being consistent then! As I mentioned in my post, my EPA -2 accrual for this year was represented in the "Pension payable from age 67" … ! @hugheskevi also pointed out the issue which you highlighted, re. payment from a fixed age rather than relative to NPA / SPA.

Universidad

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82123553#Comment_82123553

Yes, I didn't go into the details of the inexplicable ways they have calculated it wrong, because that seemed like a less general issue, but there are wildly poor errors in what they're putting in each row as well.

I was unusual in that - in the old style ABS - I had zero against my "main alpha pension". I had a transfer in, and some added pension, all payable unreduced at SPA. But as I have been paying for EPA since I started in the civil service, all my regular accruals are under EPA -3.

Somehow they've decided the majority of my regular accruals are "pension payable from age 68", and only just over a year's worth of accruals (from the 4 years I've been paying in) count as EPA.

I'm not really sure on the best approach to this. I don't think there's a cat in hell's chance I'll get a corrected EPA while there are pensioners going months without income, nor would I think that was an appropriate prioritisation. However, I certainly don't want it to pass without comment on my file. I know that they say the ABS is an "estimate", but I don't want my final pension entitlement to be opaque to me, or to have to rely on my own record keeping to prove my entitlement years from now.

JamesCoster

Is there a procedure to follow if you suspect there's an error on your forecast?

Yorkie1

I think my union was asking for information about issues with pensions - which may now include the latest ABSs. I shall contact them with my info, if so.

I have my own s/sheets for now, which I know are accurate (and my affairs seem less complicated than yours, by a fair bit!). I agree with @hugheskevi 's comment that trying to get anything improved right now is an exercise in futility given all the other issues they are still playing catch-up on.

As I shall not be retiring for a few years yet, I think, there is time for it to come out in the wash next year - or perhaps I could see how things go in spring / summer next year and contact them then.

Julezy101

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82122630#Comment_82122630

Does the ABS actually load in the middle of the night though?

Universidad

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82123953#Comment_82123953

This if very much an "if a tree falls in the woods" type question since most of us aren't up at 3am to check, but for me it did load, after steadfastly refusing to do so during the day.

Sapindus

I managed to get mine yesterday. So far as I can tell it is OK. All written in the horrible font though. Just so irritating that instead of prioritising accurate fast information about people's financial affairs they decided it would be a good idea to spend money on a bespoke font that's annoying and difficult to read.

Universidad

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82125109#Comment_82125109

I was almost going to ask if there was anyone on the thread for whom the numbers looked right, thanks for noting it.

michaels

I thought mine was ok….but it seems that I have had about 1000 out of 3000 that in the last ABS all showed as EPA-2 moved into standard SPA row so it is now 2000 with EPA 2 and 1000 with no EPA. Go figure.

Is there any consensus about what people are thinking of doing about these wrong ABS?

HouseMartin567

I’ve logged on this morning and no ABS - don’t suppose there is any point in me messaging them yet.