Hundreds of teachers are stuck in a real-life Catch-22. Continuing hold ups on issuing their CETVs leave them unable to proceed with divorce settlements and pension share orders and plan accordingly. Those delays have stretched on for more than a year. In return, the teaching union NASUWT and legal firm Leigh Day have started legal action. The Department for Education recently pledged to clear the backlog by next February 2024. An overwhelming number of teachers still don’t know what to expect.
The Department for Education has now indicated that none of these significant delays can be attributed to a lack of staff. Capita, the private administrator of the Teachers’ Pensions scheme, says the delays are out of their hands. They have been doing extensive work with the Department for Education to reach out and solve the outstanding cases.
The wait has been torturously long for many teachers. Earlier this month, David Quinton, a construction skills lecturer from Gloucestershire, applied for his CETV as part of his divorce settlement. He didn’t receive the CETV until January 2024—a disheartening 15 months after initiating his transfer! Wendy Dopheide, an English and drama teacher from Warminster, Wiltshire, applied for her CETV in August 2023. She is actually still waiting to get it.
"I think it's important that the government needs to realise that they have affected people's mental well-being. They have affected them financially. And there has to be an impact on them for not doing that," said David Quinton.
The most recent delays have understandably left teachers like these frustrated and feeling abandoned as they await news from top officials that hasn’t rightfully been communicated. In December, the Department for Education pledged to shift that backlog by February 2024. Since that announcement, teachers have experienced what they call a “stony silence” from the department.
Ryan Bradshaw, a partner at Leigh Day and a leading figure in the lawsuit. He is suing the pension provider and the Department for Education. Bradshaw points out that it’s a statutory requirement for Teachers’ Pensions to supply CETV calculations no more than three months after any request.
"There's a clear statutory obligation within the legislation that states that Teachers' Pensions must provide CETV calculations within three months of any request," Bradshaw stated.
The legal action is finding growing support with more teachers looking to join the line on the lawsuit. Philip Hawkins, a 57-year-old retired Exeter art teacher, is considering suing the Government over the eight-year wait.
"I would get the same answer, that this is being escalated and we'll get back to you and each time no one ever gets back to me," Hawkins expressed.
Wendy Dopheide echoes the sentiments of many affected teachers.
"I can't overstate just how stressful this is for people like me in this situation," Dopheide said.
Most recently, Capita have assured that they’ve now cleared 80% of the backlog. They’ve moved on to other creative options for the rest of the applicants. The government has reported that the number of people waiting for valuations has decreased significantly from 3,062 in October 2024 to 620.
All of these actions have not abated the anger of teachers who are fed up and really mad. Repentance without action is empty. David Quinton questions the value of such apologies given by public officials.
"I know a statement has been issued with an apology, but I don't think that apology is worth anything truthfully. It's a bit too little, too late," Quinton commented.
