Civilservicepensionscheme Avis 

A complete shoddy and shambolic organisation . Have written to my MP.

Just ringing to request a pension statement. Tried 3 times now after each time waiting over 30 mins but never answered. Service has collapsed since last year. Hopefully issues will be addressed before I am old enough to claim it!

If I could give Zero I would. Never come across such an incompetent institution. Two years on and I’m still trying to get this shambles of a pension administrator to pay me my pension. They ignore my letters and emails, or if they do bother to reply send me incorrect information. Pension ombudsman won’t get involved until CSP give me their final decision but they are dragging their heels. There must be something we can all do to force them to pay our rightly deserved pension and give them a kick up the backside.

If I could give no stars I would. Appalling, can’t get through on phone. A disgraceful outfit causing anxiety and frustration. Totally useless.

All I needed to do was change my bank account details when I switched banks. I went on line and completed the requested form and sent it. Two weeks later I had received no confirmation. Initially I then tried to register with the my CSP portal but on the last bit of verification it failed to send a validation text to my mobile. I tried this 3 or 4 times and then started again but then it would no longer recognise my NINO as it was, I guess, already part registered. So with no where to go, I rang them. It took over 5 minutes to get through the computer announcements and questions. Then there was a wait time to speak to someone about another 10 minutes. Firstly they asked all the same security questions as the automated computer, then they could not find my emailed request, then they took new bank details but then insisted on an emailed photo of my bank card. I queried the security of sending a copy of a card with my 16 digit number and security code on it and they said they did not need to see this part but could not change account details without it. So, I covered numbers up just leaving the name and bank account details and emailed it to them. They say it takes 10 working days to process so as the bank account switch means the old account is now closed I wonder if I will get next months pension. I then asked to sort out the portal issue but they could not help with this and transferred my to another department. As I type this my call time is up to 60 minutes and still no answer so I am about to close the call. Sadly I wont be able to leave my feedback when I do this.

Utterly appalling customer service and web portal.

They took over 6 months to answer a simple emailed question.

The portal kept refusing my login details, which i knew were correct.

So I went through the change password option and despite meeting all the password criteria it would let me change the password as it said I needed a special character, even though my password had 2 in it!

I tried to use the contact us facility to register the issue but on selecting "Portal issue" there was no option to move forwards or submit the request.

So decided to call the number, which predictably, just rang out. Utterly appalling service for civil servants.

Thank goodness I’m not the only one struggling. I’ve been trying to transfer my pension because they’ve told me I can’t stay with them due to lack of service. So I found another scheme I could transfer it to and since then it’s been almost laughable , if I don’t actually feel like crying!
Request was made yet they claimed not to have received it. So that was sent again. Nothing. I rang and they again claimed to have received nothing. Eventually admitted they had received it and was set to be dealt with on a certain date about a fortnight in the future. Date came and went. Nothing received by new pension company. Then csp stated they had sent it. And they had but it contained no information at all. So I asked them to resend it. Well why should they was their answer?
I’ve talked to very jovial Liverpudlians , always like others having waited 30 plus minutes whatever time of day you call. However just like others on here had conversations where they claim they can’t hear me. Always when I call late in the day. And hearing me seems to be selective. Reckon they don’t want to be still on line at 5pm.
I’ve tried to complain. Had two submissions not responded to. The third just stated they’d done everything right
My last conversation involved me begging them to send stuff again to new pension. They agreed. They didn’t! Asked to speak to someone in transfer dept but you can’t. They won’t let you! I think it’s one person sat in a clock tower perhaps in Vietnam on minimum wage.
Tried to complain to Pension Ombudsman but because they have different stages in place for complaints unless you go thru each stage they won’t consider it. Trouble is they don’t respond at each stage so they seem to be just hoping you’ll give up
I have given up. Thought I might be on a winner with a civil service pension but the management have clearly given up even pretending to provide a service.
Good luck to you lot who’ve paid in for forty years and rely on these muppets to get things right so you can enjoy a happy retirement. Wouldn’t trust them to tie their own shoelaces.
The cheery Liverpudlian who answers the phone have nothing to offer, you realise it, they already know it.

I want to apply for my referred pension but cannot get through to anyone in the customer service to ask for a form. Cannot access the portal system either. I might have to write to my member of parliament.

The worst!! I just want to speak to someone. I've rang every day for the past two weeks and been on hold waiting for an advisor for a combined total of 150 mins. I've also emailed!! I just want my password reset to access the online portal

Absolutely non existant customer service, I have been trying to re set my password for over two months, filled in online form countless times, emailed phoned and complained online with no response, cLls just ring, not been answered once, went in a queue once but gave up after 30 minutes, absolutely disgusting when taking into account that we have to give 5 months
notice to retire !!! No idea where to go next, it's a complete joke

Left the Civil Service on 1st Nov 24. Since then. succession of excuses and no progress on my pension. Average 30 minutes wait on the phone before it is answered. Form after form completed.

Got paid on 29 May 2025

If you are getting nowhere email The Cabinet Secretary

Countless emails, phone calls (half an hour wait each time), filled in the same forms twice and still getting nowhere with receiving what I’m entitled to. Not even had a finalisation statement. Replies always say “it’s been escalated/looked at” or whatever. Seriously the worst customer service I have ever experienced anywhere. Date of experience that you have to put here on the review doesn’t reflect the MONTHS that this has been going on.

I like most of the people I have tried countless times to speak to someone or send 20-30 messages to unlock my pension. Why lock it when we were advised to create an account which I can't access.

My advise is move your pension as if they can't respond to you or be bothered to deal with your queries then this will not change when you retire. Cowboys is the best way to describe the Civil service pension scheme.

Service non existent....sent papers back in December and pension finally finalised last week. If you don't phone it appears your email stays stuck in the inbox until you alert them it's been sent. Phone calls regularly take 50 mins to be answered only to be told they can only deal with bank or address changes even though you have confirmed at the beginning these are not the reasons you are phoning, to ge put back in queue for another 30 mins. Wrong information given I'd be embarrassed to be the manager of this non existent service. Complaint put in....wonder how many months that will take?

Over 30mins waiting on someone to answer, then had to give up. Do they think we’ve got nothing better to do? Absolute rubbish service.

The worst company to deal with, never ever get through unless your prepared for a two hour wait' then transfer you and another two hour wait, they just don't give a toss, staff can't be bothered to help and on one occasion just hung up pretending to be cut off, they don't answer emails

SHOCKING LACK OF SERVICE. They simply don't answer your query and don't even acknowledge / respond to complaints (which are supposed to be acknowledged in 2 days). Don't know how they get away with this! I'm going to escalate to the Ombudsman service. They might actually reply to the Ombudsman! DISGRACEFUL!

Utterly abysmal service - phones go unanswered, every time I come to get access via the Pension Portal I'm locked out and the online reset doesn't work. No longer receive pension statements in post or via email - Why not! I don't want to spend hours of my life trying to contact you

I have been writing to CSP for months to try and get my lump sums and widow and Orphans refund due.
Originally told me that I was only due £1100 Widows and Orphans refund as they had my marital status noted as incorrect. If I had been married I would not have been entitled to any refund at all! They then told me that my WIdows and Orphans refund would be £11000 but then proceeded to reduce my Classic Lump sum by £7000 with no explanation . Don't respond to recordeddelivery letters emails, took down wrong email address. When I eventually recieved a holding letter to my most recent recorded delivery correspondence sent in January 2025 I was advised that my numerous query/ complaints would be responded to within 5 worker days- three weeks later still no response. I have been waiting months for a adequatè response/apology to my many phone calls.,emails and recorded delivery letters.Tearing my hair outwith stress and their uncaring attitude. Still no nearer a resolution. Now they seem to be suggesting my letters have been misplaced/ lost despit a holding response being sent when they failed to meet the turnaround response on my latest recorded delivery letter dated 6 January. Really impacting on my mental wellbeing as I already suffer from severe anxiety and am on the adult at risk register. We seem to be treated as widgets/unit costs instead of real people who need support at a critical stage in our lives

Sent a simple enquiry that I need written confirmation about via email. Was asked for proof of ID passport and driving license which I provided.
No response to enquiry.
Rang them, on hold for 45 minutes then they claimed they couldn't hear me and cut me off.
Dreadful service.