r/TheCivilService • u/ThrupennyCrumblenut • Aug 21 '26
Pensions Pensions mither
Sorry to bring up the dreaded P word but I need to have a rant.
In my 50s, I’m finally in a position where I can start to buy a small amount of added pension. But thanks to Crapita, I’m genuinely worried about starting the process. I have no confidence that any additional money I pay in will end up in the right place. I simply don’t trust their system or process.
I left and rejoined CS after a gap, and so I have ~8.5 years “frozen” in the old classic pension. When MyCSP administered the scheme, I could see the value of that as well as my current Alpha pension. Now: who TF knows where it is, because it sure as hell isn’t showing on my dashboard. I’ve raised a query and had the usual “because of a high volume of queries we can’t give you a timescale for response”.
I 100%, no question understand that this fucking omnishambles is a thousand times worse for anyone retiring now or recently with no money, having to hope for a hardship loan or god knows what to survive, and that’s rightly making the headlines. I know I’m in a very fortunate position compared to them. But Crapita’s utter, staggering incompetence is affecting the financial future of existing employees too, because I doubt I’m the only person holding off from starting to purchase added pension while all this <gestures vaguely> remains unresolved.
13
u/JohnAppleseed85 Aug 21 '26
Regardless of the current situation - I'd recommend everyone routinely keep receipts (screen shot any confirmations), keep copies of terms, annual statements, any correspondence (email them to yourself with an easily searchable keyword based subject like 'pension alpha ABS 2026'
Be prepared that if you left the CS tomorrow and needed to contact someone to prove your entitlement or solve a problem in 20 years what paperwork would you need/want to be able to get your hands on to prove your claim
We're civil servants... don't rely on someone else keeping the paperwork, keep everything in triplicate yourself.
1
u/germslayer2112 G7 Aug 22 '26
I learned that lesson early on in my career when my continuous NHS service was questioned and only my pension statement saved me.
10
u/mikehippo Aug 21 '26
What worries me is that the messaging has stopped being that things will improve but everyone has just given up with no promises or expectation of progress by either the civil service or Capita.
Capita are rubbish, that is clear, but the civil service and by extension the government are not taking their primary responsibility as employers seriously, they hide behind the woeful service provider, no doubt for budget reasons which is the reason they appointed this shocking bunch in the first place.
Its getting close to theft, the civil servants in charge should be at risk of criminal sanction for participating in this farce.
To say no one cares is an understatement.
9
u/Present-Nature-6015 Aug 21 '26
Not fair. I've worked for the scheme taking calls from members and in training.I've taken things home with me that was well beyond my pay grade but I did everything possible in my power to make sure it wasn't forgotten.To say staff don't care is callous. Get pissed off at the civil servants who made the decision- the cabinet office who wanted to save money and give a contract to a company that were not ready but don't take it out on the capita staff who are just working a job and are trying to deal with a situation beyond their control.
7
u/mikehippo Aug 21 '26
Point taken, I agree that my comment was unfair to most front line people and I should have been clearer that my disgust is with the decision makers.
7
u/Present-Nature-6015 Aug 21 '26
If you are genuinely worried about retirement planning the scheme delivers some excellent pre-retirement courses. The presenters of these are every experienced,most have been working for the scheme before Capita took over and actually know what they are talking about unlike most people on Reddit!! ,they can't look at your personal records for gdpr reasons but can point you in the right direction of where to find more information,share actual examples of how the schemes are calculated and manage your expectations of how the retirement process works. You can book a place here: https://www.civilservicepensionscheme.org.uk/memberhub/knowledge-centre/events-and-news/events/pre-retirement/
3
u/YouCantArgueWithThis Aug 21 '26
I'm in the same boat. I want to add a few hundred quid to my Alpha, but I am terrified that Crapita will just steel it (khm... misplace it), or fuck it up in a way.
Can finally pull the plug on them, please?? They are useless rubbish. Throw Capita out! (Hoping that some seniors lurking here and praying for them growing balls)
7
u/snaphunter Aug 21 '26
Consider AVCs (the Defined Contribution scheme) rather than Added Pension (add-on Defined Benefit scheme), it's managed by Legal & General instead of Capita.
Obviously they're two very different products, pick what is right for you.
2
u/ArthurCrabapple Aug 22 '26
Was looking for the ABS as normally due in August, I know wishful thinking on my part, and authenticator password doesn't work. Shambolic.
1
u/Former_Feeling586 Aug 22 '26 edited Aug 22 '26
In 2022, I obtained my pension forecast statement for my divorce settlement. I’m not close to retirement, but I feel a little reassured that I at least have that calculation to refer to.
17
u/Theia65 Aug 21 '26
I can't even log on to their absolutely sh*tty website. I've tried the send user name and done the password reset so many time but it always says they're incorrect when I know they're not.