Civil Service Ill-Health Pension - Classic/alpha

Trying_to_be_good · 9 February 2018 at 4:32PM

Hello

Is there anyone here who knows much about the CIvil Service Pension schemes, in my case specifically ill-health retirement from the alpha scheme with a load of banked (pre-Apr15 service) in Classic? I think MyCSP have calculated everything (literally everything) wrong but they haven't provided much detail yet.

I have acute anxiety so my head doesn't work stuff through anywhere near as clearly as it used to. That's why I'm ill-health retired.

Thank you

Kynthia · 10 February 2018 at 11:11AM

Have you officially complained to MyCSP as a different department review your case? You have to ensure you address your query to the complaints manager?

If you have and you're still not happy, have you tried going to the pension advisory service?

Are you a member of a union as they usually have a pension specialist at their head office. I'm pretty sure PCS have someone.

Trying_to_be_good · 10 February 2018 at 2:38PM

Thank you

I've already had to raise a complaint about them not treating the first complaint as a complaint about the figures (they'd also got the payment date wrong on the notification). I don't know if they're now treating it as IDRP or otherwise. Until they've finished their complaints process I can't take it to the Ombudsman, I'm not a union member but have a potential legal claim against the Civil Service over the dismissal and an awaiting the outcome of an Injury Benefit claim. It's one big mess.

I can't work out the alpha figure they've come up with, nor the Classic figure which is complex as I was buying added years in the old scheme.

MrsBrooks13 · 21 November 2018 at 7:25PM

After 3 years of on/off sick leave and numerous ‘reasonable adjustments’ my OH provider has suggested I consider applying for ill health retirement. I am 48, have 27 years accrued ‘classic’ pension worth £10,000 pa until 2015 when I was transferred into Alpha with a current pension worth £1,500pa in that scheme.

If accepted for IHR, are the two pensions treated separately under their own rules, i.e. 25 years pension of £10,000 pa payable at age 60 for classic and the 3 years of Alpha at 67? And do I get a lump sum under each scheme?. Or is it all llumped in with the Alpha rules and therefore am I deemed to have 19 years left until pensionable age instead of 12 for the classic part and 19 for the Alpha part. Sorry but I’ve read all the bumpf but due to my condition I just can’t get my head around it.

Trying_to_be_good · 21 November 2018 at 10:02PM

To be awarded IHR you need to meet the alpha conditions, there are two tiers for whether you are not expected to ever work again, or not expected to work at your current level ever again.

I've been awarded the lower tier, not ever likely to work at my current level ever again.

My pension, payable now, is made up of my Classic portion that would have been payable at 60, plus my alpha pension that would have been payable at 67. Neither are enhanced (that would be higher tier), nor are they actuarially reduced for early payment.

Classic has the associated lump sum (three times annual pension), alpha will only have a lump sum if you swap some of your annual pension.

Hope that helps, and that you can get well. Being ill is rubbish!

MrsBrooks13 · 22 November 2018 at 11:46AM

Hi Trying to be good, That’s a very helpful guide, thank you for taking the time to respond. I feel like I’m at the edge of a prescipice if I go for IHR. I’d welcome ANY guidance you have as things have changed so much in the last couple of years with the CS and the IHR procedures. Most information I find on line is out of date now or not applicable to the Classic/Alpha scenario.

I’d like to know what may lie ahead, how long it may take and what it’s like going through the SMA etc. I’ve been told higher tier is almost impossible to be awarded. What’s your experience of this please, if you don’t mind me asking? Thank you.

Trying_to_be_good · 22 November 2018 at 2:52PM

It's only the alpha process you need to know, and that's online. You're not on Classic now so don't worry about the old process.

My department had already taken the decision to dismiss me on ill-health capability grounds. I'd seen OH whilst I was off sick, the SMA decision to award me lower tier was taken without me needing to attend an appointment, it does take a while. I was already on nil pay so when the decision was made I went as early as possible to get an income back.

Hope that helps.

Indebted2U · 23 November 2018 at 6:23PM

Trying_to_be_good wrote: »

To be awarded IHR you need to meet the alpha conditions, there are two tiers for whether you are not expected to ever work again, or not expected to work at your current level ever again.

I've been awarded the lower tier, not ever likely to work at my current level ever again.

My pension, payable now, is made up of my Classic portion that would have been payable at 60, plus my alpha pension that would have been payable at 67. Neither are enhanced (that would be higher tier), nor are they actuarially reduced for early payment.

Classic has the associated lump sum (three times annual pension), alpha will only have a lump sum if you swap some of your annual pension.

Hope that helps, and that you can get well. Being ill is rubbish!

Hi Mrs Brooks
Some good advice from Trying to be good there. I've dropped you a PM which explains the process as I found it, hope it helps.

MrsBrooks13 · 6 June 2019 at 3:35PM

So I’ve only just heard about the Judges/Fire Service appeal ruling! If the Govt don’t get leave to appeal, could this potentially affect any application for ERDIH i.e could I be back on ‘Classic’ terms and therefore have all the associated benefits such as potentially getting my pension early due to being unable to do my current job as opposed to ANY job? My GP has recommended I consider IHR. I remain undecided but continue to be on/off work due to my debilitating conditions. Many thanks.

Freeman24reverseFpenny · 6 June 2019 at 9:17PM

Trying_to_be_good wrote: »

Hello

Is there anyone here who knows much about the CIvil Service Pension schemes, in my case specifically ill-health retirement from the alpha scheme with a load of banked (pre-Apr15 service) in Classic? I think MyCSP have calculated everything (literally everything) wrong but they haven't provided much detail yet.

I have acute anxiety so my head doesn't work stuff through anywhere near as clearly as it used to. That's why I'm ill-health retired.

Thank you

Like you I've been a civil servant - now retired. All my pension was classic.

I know that members born from April 1962 onwards, who were not within 10 years of the (then) retirement age of 60 in April 2012, transferred to the Alpha scheme on a tapered basis, depending on their age at the time.

Ill health retirement is rare in my experience, and has always been difficult to get. With regard to your situation, where you have banked classic before you moved onto alpha, and then ill health retire, it's not easy to find the precise rules that apply. I did find it, however, and would post the link, but when I tried I got this message -

The following errors occurred with your submission:
Sorry as a new user you are not allowed to post with links. This is done to stop spammers clogging up the site. Please edit your message below to continue.

This is a copy and paste from the link (I've emboldened the really relevant bit):-

How does the PCSPS part of my pension get paid?

You receive a payment equal to the classic, classic plus, premium, or nuvos part of your pension with the alpha part.

Like the alpha part, it is not reduced for early payment if you are granted ill-health retirement.

The amount you get is not increased or enhanced in any way, but it will be adjusted in line with prices once it is in payment.

Under alpha regulations, classic, classic plus, premium, or nuvos parts of your pension will not be paid when you retire on ill-health.

Members with PCSPS parts to their pension get a payment equal to the value of their classic, classic plus, premium, or nuvos pension paid to them.

This payment is replaced automatically by their actual PCSPS pension once they reach the Normal Pension Age of that scheme usually age 60 or age 65.

Your pension will replace the payment you are receiving without you having to take any action.

You only get the lump sum option once (at the date you retire), so you will not get a second lump sum option when you reach the scheme’s Normal Pension Age.

If you have not reached the Normal Pension Age in classic, classic plus, premium, or nuvos you could still choose to transfer out that part of your pension. But if you do, the payment you are receiving in respect of those benefits will stop, meaning the overall amount of pension that you get will reduce to just the alpha part of your benefits.

With regard to how accurate it is, just calculate from the best year of your final three years salary. Divide that by 80 and multiply by however many years you had in classic. That should give you the correct amount. Did you get any lump sum?

Trying_to_be_good · 17 June 2019 at 2:14PM

MrsBrooks13 wrote: »

So I’ve only just heard about the Judges/Fire Service appeal ruling! If the Govt don’t get leave to appeal, could this potentially affect any application for ERDIH i.e could I be back on ‘Classic’ terms and therefore have all the associated benefits such as potentially getting my pension early due to being unable to do my current job as opposed to ANY job? My GP has recommended I consider IHR. I remain undecided but continue to be on/off work due to my debilitating conditions. Many thanks.

alpha Tier 1 (the lower tier) is inability to work at your current level
alpha Tier 2 (the higher tier, and subject to review) is inability to work at any level

Civil Service Ill-Health Pension - Classic/alpha

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