Pension not commuted

[ASCOT Ops Retd]

Just got a letter today, seeming to indicate that my request to commute hasn't been actioned...4 days until the cash should coming my way.

Has this happened to anyone else, and how easy was it to resolve?

I've phoned JPAC and been advised it's a 10 working day callback etc, but just wondering whether I should be expecting a battle?

[Pontius Navigator]

You should contact the Royal British Legion asap. One reason for refusing to allow commutation is that they think you are in poor health.

[ASCOT Ops Retd]

:eek: I'm going to die!

...and you've got to work on your bedside manner PN!

[N Joe]

Got all sorts of confusing and conflicting info re pension in the run up to leaving and got the run around from JPAC when I tried to question. However, the pension and commutation arrived as expected.

So you can hope for the best - but maybe prepare for the worst!

N Joe

[ASCOT Ops Retd]

Nah, I don't do 'the worst' when it comes to my pension after 22yrs.

They do 'getting it sorted' or 'proving I opted out of commuting', with allowance made for them to show how exhaustively they pursued my presumably missing paperwork.

This must have happened to someone else...

[Pontius Navigator]

:eek: I'm going to die!

...and you've got to work on your bedside manner PN!

I thought I was very sensitive :E

Originally I was going to say that they thought they would have to pay out less if they gave you a full pension :)

[SirToppamHat]

ISTR there was some discussion on here a while back regarding the 'right to commute', which suggested that it is not a right at all. As PN suggests below, if you are in poor health, they may not think you are going to live long and it's a better bet for them to offer to pay you more pension rather than allowing commutation.

I think there were actuaries involved in the process - doesn't explain why they still haven't told you what's going on. Perhaps they have a virus - everyone I know seems to!

STH

[greycoat]

or maybe the coffers are empty after paying for the banker's c0ck ups

[noprobs]

They had a brief attempt at this tactic when I left. Because of, I think, my blood pressure in my discharge medical, they said I had to pay for a private consultation if I wanted to prove that I was fit for life commutation, otherwise they wouldn't pay it. When I pointed out that I was coming straight back as FTRS, and had been passed fit for that, they rapidly back-pedalled and gave me the cash. I do suspect that they look for any excuse to try this on.

The argument over the resettlement grant (gratuity) sum that I had been promised, but over which they changed their minds, was a different matter. Having met a dead end at a certain Glasgow civil servant when I asked as a retired officer, I submitted a redress of grievance in my new FTRS rank (a fresh experience after 34 years). This went through the full (old) redress procedure until it hit the same Glasgow desk, where the answer was "No. I told you so the first time!" :ugh:

[Dan Winterland]

Isn't it a legal right to take 25% of your pension in cash as a lump sum? Commercial companies don't have the right to stop this, so why do the MOD?

I may be wrong, but I think they have to pay.

[ASCOT Ops Retd]

Unless the doctor's letter has gone missing :uhoh:, I am as healthy as the next man. It would be interesting to hear 'their' argument on why I'm not entitled to something that everyone else can seemingly elect to do.

I actually don't think this is the case - the letter was routine and nonchalant - implying it's a simple admin cock-up and my request has been overlooked. But whether I'm entitled or not, it was reasonable to presume I would be allowed to commute, so they've got a fight if they want one.

[Wrathmonk]

ASCOT

Did you ever receive back the Part I of the AFPS Form 1 (the wonderful "application for your pension" form) back from SPVA? If so, and assuming you ticked the right boxes in Part B and C then, IMHO, they don't have a choice but to comply with your wishes.

On the medical aspects I don't have my copy of the two page summary of my final medical but I don't recall there being a clause allowing your medical details to be sent to anybody other than your new GP and the medical records central storage at Hign Wycombe. I stand by to be corrected should somebody have a copy of theirs to hand!

Edit - Found my letter. Nothing on the edition dated 04/07 to suggest that a copy would (or could) be sent to anybody likely to make a risk assessment for life commutation purposes.

[ASCOT Ops Retd]

No I didn't, and I was dubious about something just like this happening - how would I ever know they'd received my paperwork? But I figured 'no news was good news', and it was simply the norm to not get a reply.

But I suppose your question prompts another one - why are they writing to me with the figures if, as far as they're concerned, they haven't received any application paperwork from me? I'm still led back to this being a clerical error.

[ASCOT Ops Retd]

For the benefit of others...

Seems SPVA have a computer glitch, which omits details of commutation from their letters.

Please cancel the whip round...