Was a teacher - can I refund/take back my pension

[marsandgalaxy]

Hi,

I really know nothing about whether this is possible so I thought I would ask and google has confused me!

I am a qualified teacher in the UK but have left teaching. I taught from September 2012 to April 2015. I paid into my pension during that time which was taken out from my pay each month.

I was wondering if it were possible to get a refund / take the money back that I paid into my pension?

Thanks for your help mumsnetters

Yes, I'm fairly sure you can. Contact the teachers' pension scheme.
Do you really have to though? I wouldn't have thought it was worth it personally.

This says you can if you paid in for less than 2 years, but you went just over.

No, you won’t be able to get a refund - after 2 years your entitlement vests which means you are entitled to a pension.
You could take a transfer to a DC scheme, but you’ll only be able to access cash when you are 55.

Here it says you can leave them there, move them to another scheme, but not get a refund.

So I wouldn't usually consider taking out a pension, but unfortunately my money situation is pretty dire and I really hoped to access.

I'm nearly 30 so although I should be thinking a lot about my pension, I have more of a need for the money now.

So from your responses I take it that I cant get it refunded to me ?

Thanks for all the advice so far

Correct - you can’t get it refunded unless you were paying in for less than 2 years, and then you’d lose the employer contributions.

Nope, I tried. I'd paid in for more than two years! Desperately needed it too.

When I first started teaching I was paid as an unqualified teacher and wonder if this means I might have paid in for my pension less than two years? (This is all at a stretch and a hope)

Who would I ring / email to enquire to find out exactly if how long I'd officially paid in for?

Do you get letters telling you how much you’ve got in your pension? I get them every year. Ring the number on there.

You can register and sign in to access all your info on the teacherspension website these days.

You need your NI number and your DFE number to register with. It's v simple.

You won't get as much back as you expect op. As tax relief was applied on the payments. DH left the civil service and was offered £8k transfer value to another pension or £600.

Keep it there and let it grow. I taught for 5 years and mine pays out when I'm 60, It's more than I thought it would be, and there's a lump sum as well. 8 and a little bit of years to go.