DIHS Did I Have Serps company

Claiming what ? I believe less than 1% of SERPS related claims have been successful simply because there is no complaint and nothing to claim. Just another scam company looking to move your contracted out fund to something they manage. Hopefully nothing will happen, not a lot you can do now except be vigilant for anything untoward happening. In future please do not enter into any kind of dialogue with these scamming cold calling companies.

Don't sign, this approach means that you're dealing with an unethical company.

SERPS is the earnings-related part of the old state pension system. The other part is the basic state pension, which adds a fixed amount for each year paying in or getting credits, like from child benefit. It's never been possible to contract out of the basic state pension part, just the earnings-related bit.

There were two ways to contract out:

1. most workplace defined benefit pensions contracted the employees out and took on responsibility for paying the earnings-related part themselves. Defined benefit usually means the final or average salary type. There's minimal chance that being in such a scheme was wrong. Better still, following the state pension changes in 2016 someone in this type could end up adding more state pension when someone not contracted out can't because they are already entitled to more than the new cap. This can result in those contracted out effectively being paid twice and further increases the very positive situation.

2. into a personal pension. HMRC would pay a partial NI rebate into it each year. Under the old rules this typically was a good move. As with type 1, the 2016 pension changes mean that many will get both the maximum new state pension and the contracted out pot, while those who didn't just get the state part. That makes it an even better deal than it was originally.

If you want to tell us more about your pension history and state pension forecast we should be able to tell you if there's anything worth doing to improve your position.

As with type 1, the 2016 pension changes mean that many will get both the maximum new state pension and the contracted out pot, while those who didn't just get the state part.

I think that someone earning enough to qualify for SERPS and who never contracted out , is still entitled to a state pension above the normal maximum . It is sometime since I tried to understand the rules as it was not very clear and the way of calculating it was complicated , but this is what I remember . I think it was a concession for people in this position and if you think about it would be otherwise unfair to those who never contracted out or for only a short period.