Martin Jones & Kaushal Menon Muralidharan reported on a group of teachers taking legal action against the government due to delays in getting their pensions valued. More than 600 individuals, including recent applicants, are waiting for valuations, down from over 3,000 in October 2024. The delays have left teachers feeling frustrated and unable to move on with their lives or plan for their futures.
David Quinton, a construction skills lecturer, emphasized that the legal action is not just about financial compensation but also about highlighting the impact on people’s mental well-being. The government issued an apology in December and aimed to clear the backlog by the end of February. However, Mr. Quinton expressed skepticism about the apology’s value, stating that it was “a bit too little, too late.”
In a similar situation, Wendy Dopheide, an English and drama teacher, has been waiting nearly 20 months for a pension valuation. She highlighted the stress and uncertainty caused by the delays, preventing her from planning for retirement. Another affected individual, Philip Hawkins, a retired art teacher, also shared his frustrating experience of waiting months for a valuation after constant promises of follow-up that never materialized.
The legal action is being led by Ryan Bradshaw from the law firm Leigh Day, who emphasized the statutory obligation for Teachers’ Pensions to provide CETV calculations within three months of a request. The ongoing delays are attributed to changes in public service pension schemes following the McCloud pension remedy judgment. Teachers’ Pensions has apologized for the delays and confirmed that 80% of the backlog has been cleared, with efforts to provide alternative options for the remaining applicants awaiting valuations
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