Anyone else experiencing a delay in their NHS pension claim being processed?

[IUsedToBe]

Hi all,

I applied for my NHS pension in August, and apart from an email from them a few days later confirming that they had received my documents, I heard nothing else from them for over a month.

I saw on their website that they aim to pay your first pension payment within 30 calendar days of the date they receive your application. As it had already been longer than that since I last heard from them, I decided to send them an email to check on the progress of my application.

A few days later I received an email which didn’t answer my question - they basically just copied and pasted the information from their website saying they aim to process new claims within 30 calendar days (it had already been longer than that since they received my application, which is why I was emailing them), and that despite them having a new computer system installed in August which has caused some delays, in September 95% of new pension claims were paid within 30 calendar days (not much consolation to me when I’m apparently one of the 5% whose claim hasn’t been paid!)

So I was just wondering, is anyone else currently experiencing a delay in their NHS pension claim being processed? Or if you have recently started receiving your NHS pension, how long did you have to wait for it?

I helped my friend claim hers earlier in the year and it took 5 months.
We had to ring them several times and email as they kept asking for the same information again and again.
Maybe call them if you’ve got a spare hour… that’s usually how long it took us to get through.

Delays are very common, unfortunately. You should get backpay when it eventually comes through.

It was a year for me. Admittedly I retired early on ill health grounds so it wasn't planned as far in advance as a "normal" retirement might be but even so, it was ridiculous. The actual ill health process went smoothly and was quicker than I expected but it was 12 months after that was agreed before I saw a penny. It's a good job I had savings to live on as I had no income at all for a year. In the end I got an accountant involved and he threatened them with legal action which seemed to do the trick but I have no idea how long it would have been if I hadn't done that.

Mine took about two weeks . DH about 9 months ( consultant )

Thanks for the replies. It sounds like I'm probably in for a long wait, then! 🙁

The NHS retirement Facebook page is fab that’s where I got my advice initially so it will tell you what to do and

how to chase

Check what the delay actually is. Mine was delayed because my workplace HR hadn't sent the necessary documents.

I have emailed them, but they just quoted the information from their website, that they process most claims in 30 calendar days - even though it had already been longer than that since I sent them my application. They didn't say there was any reason for the delay, so I got the impression they hadn't even got round to looking at my pension claim yet.