Civil Service Pension Scheme query

appletrev

I suspect I'm on a hiding to nothing here.

I joined the CSPS in 1971 and left in 1977 (after 3 years pension years and 3 years leave without pay as a student, though I did work in all the holidays).

Without asking, they sent me a cheque for around £270 as I remember it. This was very nice for a 24 yr old, but I consider this was wrong and that they should have preserved my pension.

As it happened I returned to the Met office in the 90's and transferred another pension in, so now the CSPS is my main retirement income to look forward to (I'm 54). I am not currently in the Civil Service.

I have written to them arguing that those 3 years should be added to my pension and my 270 quid returned to them. What do folk think?

terryw

I stress that I am no expert in this area but I fear that you are on a hiding to nothing. From my own days in the Civil Service, I recall that the rules of the scheme were that if you left within five years then pension contributions were refunded, but after five years no refunds were given and the contributions were either left to stand in their own right for a CS pension or could be transferred to other schemes in the future. Indeed, I recall that some civil servants would leave just before the five years merely to get their hands on the lump sum refund......this was popular with young ladies who left to get married.

Best of luck though with your representations though.

terryw