Pension valuation delays leave teachers 'in limbo'

Emma Dawson A close-up of Emma, wearing a pink polo-neck jumper, smiling at the camera with a fitted wardrobe behind herEmma Dawson
Early years teacher Emma Dawson has been waiting since June 2023 for a pension valuation

More teachers have told the BBC they have experienced emotional and financial strain after enduring long waits to get a divorce, following delays in pension valuations.

Previously Amy Goldsmith, a teacher from Bristol spoke about how the situation had left her "in limbo" unable to "move on with her life".

A Cash Equivalent Transfer Valuation (CETV) is needed to determine whether the pensions should be shared by the divorcing couple without which it is almost impossible to reach a financial settlement.

Teachers' Pensions Scheme has apologised for the situation, and the Department of Education (DfE) said it expected the backlog to be mostly cleared by February.

A close-up of Amy in a classroom, smiling to camera, wearing a muted turquoise and lilac scarf and a dark green cardigan
Amy Goldsmith has waited several months for a pension valuation meaning her divorce has been delayed

A total of 1,344 teachers were waiting for valuation from the Teachers' Pensions Scheme (TPS) on 6 January 2025, the DfE said.

That is down from a figure of just under 2,000 provided in December to a member of Teachers' Pension CETV support group, through a Freedom of Information request seen by the BBC.

According to government guidelines, anyone who qualifies for a CETV must be provided one within three months of their original request.

However, the BBC has heard from a number of teachers across England who have waited, or are currently waiting, longer.

"Incredibly frustrating"

Emma Dawson, an early years teacher and senior mental health lead for Southend Borough Council, said she has been waiting 18 months since first applying for a pension valuation in June 2023.

"This is seriously impacting me financially and mentally as I am unable to get divorced," she said.

"It is a very difficult and unpleasant situation to be in, and incredibly frustrating.

"TPS have never clearly explained what the delay is, or been able to provide me with a timescale, or even seemed apologetic for the situation they have put me in.

"I think TPS need to be held accountable for the distress and inconvenience caused by their inefficiency and some form of compensation should be considered for the financial and emotional stress this is having on the thousands of people in this situation."

'Difficult pill to swallow'

Sarah, 46, a senior school leader from Staffordshire, founded a support group for TPS members who were waiting for their pension valuations.

"I applied for my CETV figure early in 2024. As the weeks and months passed, the bureaucratic delay added unimaginable stress to both myself and family," she said.

"Reaching the decision to divorce is traumatic, but for this process to be held up by a pension figure algorithm is a difficult pill to swallow.

"I created a Facebook group, 'We need our CETV', and quickly hundreds of hard-working teachers joined and were sharing their experiences, each one heart-breaking."

She said some members had incurred court charges due to missed financial hearings and others forced to remain living with former partners as they were unable to re-mortgage or sell their properties without their settlements.

Sarah added group members were now starting to get the "much-needed CETV figure", which she received in mid-December.

"It would appear that retired members of our group are waiting even longer," she added.

She said the delay had taken a "significant toll" on people's well-being.

'Like being in a Monty Python sketch'

Gavin Hall A man wearing black sunglasses, sporting grey hair and a grey french beard looks into the camera while standing on a beach with the sea behind him.Gavin Hall
Gavin says the stress from dealing with the delays in his divorce affected his health

Gavin, a 58-year-old teacher from St. Albans, applied for a CETV from TPS last January.

After waiting nearly a year, he finally received the valuation in November.

He said the situation had caused "a lot of stress and considerable financial costs", such as having to rent a property for longer than was necessary.

"It's like putting money into a savings account for twenty years then, when you need it, being told by the bank that they don't know how much you have saved and have no idea when they will find out.

"It felt like being in an episode of Monty Python, but without the humour.

"I regret ever joining the TPS; I should have spent the money having fun with my sons instead."

In an update issued on the Teachers' Pensions website in December, the service apologised for the inconvenience caused by the delays.

The Department for Education said the delays were not a result of having too few staff and that it was working through cases in date order wherever possible.

It aimed to clear the majority of the current backlog by the end of February 2025, apart from some "small groups".

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