“Nearly Christmas and no money in the bank. Thanks, MyCSP.”
That’s the message from just one former civil servant to pensions provider MyCSP, which is still struggling with delayed pension payments and communications with its pension scheme members three months after taking over from former provider Capita.
One ex-employee at HM Revenue & Customs, who did not wish to disclose her name, says she is outraged at how she has been treated after trying to find out why her pension was delayed.
“I tried to contact the pension service but after waiting three times for almost half an hour, I gave up. I then received a letter telling me my pension would be paid in 10 working days, it was not. I was told they tried to pay me on 13 November to my bank but it was not received. Considering I have had only one bank account for 26 years, where my wages were paid, this just beggared belief. They then said a cheque had been sent but when questioned they could not give me a tracking number or proof of this. I was advised to wait 48 hours for it being transferred to the priority team, then my settlement would be paid in five working days. It wasn’t. Since then I have complained twice and been assured it is with the priority team. No one has told me anything or given me a proper update.
With Christmas coming up, this mother of two young children says the delays have left her in difficult financial circumstances. “I feel ashamed that for the first time since I was a teenager, I have been reduced to begging for money. It is worse, as it is money I am entitled to,” she says.
Problems began with pension calculations and payments almost as soon as MyCSP took over paying civil service pensions on 18 September. But it wasn’t until November that MyCSP brought in additional staff and extended the opening hours of its call centre to deal with queries and resolve what it described as “a small number” of outstanding payments. It has now reduced the opening hours of its call centre, which is no longer open at the weekend.
The company has also taken to social media to try and communicate with overseas pensioners still plagued by delays in pension payments. In early December, it put a notice for overseas pensioners on its website saying there were no delays to payments – but went on to say that some members may receive their payments a few days late.
It has also incensed some people by posting directly on an French expat website, which from September to December featured messages from pensioners concerned about their payments. On 17 December, MyCSP used the site to apologise that some members were still experiencing difficulties getting in touch with the company.
One member of the online forum expressed disbelief at a pensions provider getting in touch in this way, writing: “I could not imagine Barclays trying to contact members of their final salary pension scheme by writing a post on a forum”. Others simply wanted to know why MyCSP had been unable to write directly to members of the pension scheme.
One ex-civil servant, who worked for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, says he has received no pension payment from MyCSP despite retiring almost three months ago. Another expresses deep concern over MyCSP’s failure to provide any explanation for the delay in paying his pension.
My patience has been tried to the limit because of MyCSP’s nonchalant attitude, let alone by the fact that I have been unable to pay several bills through non-receipt of my pension. Being treated in this fashion today I also feel betrayed - I served my country well and was awarded an MBE at the age of 30 in recognition of my work and contribution.
Another one-time senior UK Treasury official, who now lives in Australia, says the transfer from Capita to MyCSP has resulted in a clear deterioration of service. “On 24 October, I sent in a simple request to MyCSP to shift payment of my pension from one bank account to another,” he says. “No action has been taken and I have received no acknowledgement from this organisation. It is deeply unprofessional behaviour.”
Shirley Byrne, who now runs a bed and breakfast in Cumbria, says she was due to receive a lump sum and the first of her monthly pension payments on her 60th birthday, 20 October 2014. She has not yet received any payment and has found it difficult to get through to MyCSP by phone. After being told someone would ring back but hearing nothing more, Byrne contacted her MP who wrote to MyCSP on her behalf. “To date, I have had no contact from MyCSP,” she says.
It is not just pensioners who have had problems with MyCSP. One case involves the estate of a former senior inspector of taxes, who was receiving a civil service pension. When she died earlier this year, her nephew and executor of her will says he was unable to complete all the necessary documentation because MyCSP had failed to send his aunt’s P60 form. When MyCSP did send a final cheque to the estate, they sent it to the wrong person and failed to say how the amount had been arrived at.
MyCSP was contacted for a response but did not wish to comment.
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