Ill health retired - Civil service pension

Hi,

Hoping you won’t mind but I will deal with both of your post questions in this your latest post to save jumping back and forward.

First post…..You certainly wouldn’t be alone in feeling that union representation is woefully inadequate a lot of the time and can often feel like banging your head of the proverbial brick wall. This is only aggravated when something as serious as ill health retirement is brought up and you need the correct answers. It is obviously a scary time and puts a lot of pressure on you.

Ref the McLeod remedy…..you likely know the basic jist of this but it can be confusing depending on what pension scheme you were in, but if you haven’t already then try googling

Civilservicepensionscheme.org.uk….lots of pension information on this including in depth info about the remedy period. There is also a handy am I effected tool which is easy to navigate…I’ve just tried it

There are also contact details if you need to go down that route.

Hope you find the info you need.

ref pension review points….i believe if you retire on ill health grounds and are awarded the lower tier then you are paid that pension for life without requiring to be reviewed or reassessed even if you re employed……if you are awarded the higher tier then yes you would likely receive a review near the 5 year mark……on my pension award letter it clearly states a review on year 5

Hope this helps and feel free to ask questions…if I can help then I will.

For info I was awarded IHR in April 2024 so the process is still fairly fresh in my mind.

Kindest

Scott

Hi, yes, a lot of the information is fairly generic with lots of we are working on it replies…..if my memory serves me correctly I think civil service pensions have given themselves until March 2025 to write to everyone affected.

I think you stated that you retired 9 years ago so that would have been about 2016 so only one year over the start of the remedy period so realistically any extra to your pension based on your eventual choice will be fairly minimal I’m guessing, but every little helps.

I was fairly lucky with respect to my illness being fairly straightforward and un argueable ( both condition and symptoms agreed as permanent)so although never a certainty I believed strongly that I would be awarded top tier IHR which I was despite me trying everything to stay in work.

I can certainly understand why you and others can feel genuinely aggrieved at how you feel you were treated. Speaking to colleagues I have heard horror stories about the horrendous interaction between employer, employee, pension dept and doctors.

It’s also sometimes difficult to put yourself through any appeals process at the time if your mental health is already suffering which only with time and hindsight we can often feel we could have done better and stood up for ourselves more……unfortunately there is a very narrow time limit in place for appeals.

Sorry that I can’t be of any more help and hopefully they will be in touch before March 2025….if not then get in touch with your pension provider

Scott

Doesn’t sound like you were treated fairly at all.

Not an expert but yes as you retired through IHR approx 2016, it would only likely be the one year you could get any recompense for……but others may chime in that know more about it than I do and I stand to be corrected.

Take it easy

Scott

Hi,

It has been the intention of the various pension providers to offer all employees a forecast of how the Remedy period may have affected them. This is all employees (not just those applying for IHR or have had IHR) who have or have had a pension that incorporates the critical dates of 2015 to 2022 (whether that be one year as in you're case or the seven years).

I have left the civil service now under IHR so I am not entirely up to speed with latest communications with employees but yes, it had hoped forecasts would be done by March 2025 for the vast majority of employees but these approx timings can obviously slip.

When I was awarded IHR my financial statement paperwork it included details of the full seven years of remedy period (as I was employed from 1999 to 2024) and how this would affect me in real monetary terms and then gave me various options I could choose……In your case, because of the length of time of your retirement it may be that you have been forgotten about slightly. HOWEVER, because you are already in receipt of your IHR pension they should be prioritising you and making amendments to your pension so you are receiving the updated amount now. From the pension providers point of view it is just a case of reassessing your application but with the remedy period of one year included, its not really difficult but is likely to be slow due to the amount of employees who have already retired but have service that falls between the critical dates. Years…quite possibly!

Reading back over the posts I believe you will only be entitled to one year of remedy, which in reality likely isn't going to be anything substantial but if you are due it then yes, chase it up.

with regards protected status, it has no impact on any IHR application at all and would not affect their decision. IHR is based solely on the medical evidence provided and your testimony as to why your illness or condition stops you working (in your job or any job)not on how your illness or condition is labelled.

If your illness or condition falls under the disability act or is considered protected it won't have any effect on the decision making process and you would not receive a higher tier award just because this might be so. It will also not be taken into account on any review

I stand to be corrected but this is my understanding, based on my own research for when I retired on IHR.

Chase up your pension with the provider and make them aware that you are already retired and want an updated forecast with the remedy period included. reiterating the point that you are entitled to the correct amount of pension payment now…. I would preferably do this by email..

Sorry that I can't be any more help

Scott