Update
I realise you all have been frightfully worried about the status of my pension. I spoke with DBS again today and am told that it is in hand and should be paid soon.
I completed all the relevant paperwork well within the time limits and I am now on working day 36 since I left the RAF (we are told it could take up to 30 days). I guess someone just wanted to ensure I was reminded one last time how utterly inept and impersonal the whole admin and pay system became after 1 April 2006. As if I could ever forget.
The moral of the story is, don’t expect your pension to be paid on time. People are their number one priority though.
BV