Am I eligible for a refund of my workplace pension?

[MellyPapa]

So I was made redundant due to administration last year and so my contributions to my pension stopped. My pension was only 1 year and 7 months old. As far as I can tell it was a standard workplace pension, 3% contributions, taken pre-tax out of my pay so I think I should have been due a refund. However, I left it too long and the portal for the pension plan is now saying the plan is 2 years 5 months old. I only just activated this portal thing because I only just got a letter about it, had forgotten about the pension until now.

The whole plan only appears to be worth £1700 and my contributions appear to be around £800 (at least it says my employers contribution was £800 so mine must have been the same if it was matched?!)

Basically I've searched online and it says you can get a refund when you are a "qualifying member" for less than 2 years. If I stopped making contributions at 1 year 7 month was I no longer a "qualifying member" after that? Or is a refund only available if the plan is under 2 years old?

Asking on here as googling has not worked and I expect Aviva will have me on hold for hours only to wriggle out of refunding me if they can help it. Would rather only call them once I have some knowledge.

So anyone got any experience of this and can help?

You'd need to have a look at the rules that apply to your particular scheme. Just call Aviva - they'll give you the info you need.

Bear in mind, you will probably pay tax if you can take money out of the pension .... without putting into another pension.

The rule you are referring too is no longer valid. You cannot access your cash now until you reach pension age - regardless of redundancy or any other reason. Only exception would be terminal illness.

if it is an auto enrolment NEST or whatever they are called I would be surprised if you could get refunds as the idea is everyone is opted in so are not so much of a burden on the state when they are old in theory. Have a look at the Pensions Regulator website under autoenrolment pensions (if yours is one of those) as that might say.

No, you just have to keep it in and enjoy the benefits in your old age. Unless you transfer it into another one.

I have three pensions and just hope that I will remember to update my details on all of them once I reach my dotage.

I think you can transfer it but not get cash. YOu used to be able to cash it in, but that was when you were 'contracted out' of the state second pension, when you cashed in you had to make the NI contributions you had missed by being contracted out.

A couple of years ago I get a SIPP and transferred in to it from small pots I had here and there. I just have fun with it and have not paid anymore in but I have more than doubled the value.

It's not part of my retirement plan and if I lost the lot I wouldn't be too bothered. Well I would but it wouldn't affect my plans.

Thanks all, I thought this might be the case. That refund rule is everywhere. I did read an article about 2014/15 legislation which said refunds would not be possible but there are obviously lots of out of date websites/articles.

Will probably just get it transferred then. Will just have to save for my next holiday instead!

It sounds like you haven't served the vested period so you should (?) be eligible for a refund of your contributions.