In July 2023 the Fund began our implementation and transition to a new Pensions Administration System which remains a significant development and investment for the future.
It introduces increased automation, enhanced information security, optimising integration with other systems and a new Pension Portal for members and employers.
As with most system changes it is not without its challenges and we are closely monitoring both the performance of the system and our handling of member requests to ensure a return to business-as-usual service. We apologise that our current performance has not been up to our usual high standards, however we remain focussed upon keeping you updated on the progress of our journey.
Please be assured that the Fund is continuing to work hard to minimise disruption to all customers and we thank you for your ongoing patience.
To support all members and employers with further information and guidance, we have added additional resources to our website, and we will continue to review and keep this up to date.
Here you can view the latest System Transition Update.
General System Transition FAQs
I have retired and I am waiting for payment of benefits. When will I receive them?
We understand that several members are currently waiting for payment of benefits, we would like to reassure you that we are doing everything we can to make payment of your benefits as soon as possible. To support with the high volume of casework, resources from our other benefit processing teams have been reallocated and trained to support the processing in priority areas. In addition, the Fund has also launched a supplementary payroll to ensure we can make payment of arrears throughout the month, allowing members to receive payments quicker.
When we have processed your benefits, we will provide a letter which confirms payment of any lump sum and details of your first pension payment. Once completed, pension payments are paid on the 25th of each calendar month, unless this falls on a weekend or a bank holiday where it is paid on the previous working day. Any lump sum payments are paid tax free and will include interest if they are over one month late. Interest is paid 1% above the Bank of England base rate. We would like to thank you for your ongoing patience and would apologise for any inconvenience caused.
It’s taking a while for me to get through to the Customer Service Contact Centre on the phone. Why is this?
Due to experiencing high call volumes, following the transition to our new administration system and Pension Portal, the Customer Services Helpline is operating on reduced hours temporarily which are shown below.
- Monday: 10am-12pm and 2pm-4pm
- Tuesday: 10am-12pm and 2pm-4pm
- Wednesday: 10am-12pm and 2pm-4pm
- Thursday: 10am-12pm and 2pm-4pm
- Friday: 10am-12pm and 2pm-4pm
In these time frames, we are also experiencing a large volume of calls resulting in longer than usual wait times. If you cannot find your answer on the Fund’s website and are unable to call us on the times stated above, please contact us online.
We appreciate your patience with the Fund whilst we are going through the current changes. We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience caused.
I’m an active member and I’m looking at retiring soon and have requested a written estimate before I leave work. When will I receive this?
We are currently experiencing a high volume of requests for calculations which our operational team are currently working through. Please note our current wait time for an estimate is six to eight weeks. In the meantime, if you are an active member, you can look at your Annual Benefit Statement which shows the amount of pension you currently have without early retirement reductions and a forecast of your pension at normal pension age. When you have viewed your statement with the current position, you can then view the reduction factor table which will assist in providing a guideline figure.
If you would like some assistance on understanding your Annual Benefit Statement, please view Your annual benefit statements newsletters.
Will I get interest if my payment is delayed?
Any lump sum payments are paid tax free and will include interest if they are over 1 month late, interest is paid 1% above the Bank of England base rate.
When will I get a reply to my secure message/email?
Our current timescales to respond to secure messages is normally 10 working days, however due to an influx of queries we are taking slightly longer to respond. Please accept our apologies and will be reply as soon as possible.
What are the current opening times for the Customer Services Team if I need to call you?
During this period of system transition we have taken the decision to operate reduced opening hours for our member helpline to ensure we can support members across all channels. You can find our current opening hours here:
- Monday: 10am-12pm and 2pm-4pm
- Tuesday: 10am-12pm and 2pm-4pm
- Wednesday: 10am-12pm and 2pm-4pm
- Thursday: 10am-12pm and 2pm-4pm
- Friday: 10am-12pm and 2pm-4pm
Please accept our apologies.
I require a CETV for divorce purposes what is the process?
You need to complete and return a PS02,which can be found here RTF Output Document (wmpfonline.com), in order for us to proceed.
I have ceased employment however the Fund have confirmed that they haven’t received my leaving documentation yet what do I do?
Please contact your former employer who will arrange for your leaver documentation to be sent to the WMPF. Once received the Fund will be able to process your leaver documentation and provide you with your options.
Is there a quicker way for any arrears of pension to be paid to me?
The Fund has launched a supplementary payroll system to ensure we can make payment of arrears throughout the whole month. This is allowing members to receive payments quicker, rather than wait till the 25th of the following month.
