Combined Pension Forecasts

Normally, your personal benefit statement covers just the pension you can expect to receive from the Kingfisher Pension Scheme. But most employees can also expect to receive a State pension when they retire. This year, we are providing a more complete picture of the total income you can expect to receive when you retire, and your statement includes new information about the State pension you can expect to receive. The combined figures should provide an important starting point in deciding whether you are saving enough for retirement.

But do remember, your Kingfisher pension normally starts when you reach age 60, while your State pension won’t start until you reach State Pension Age - 65 if you are a man and between 60 and age 65 if you are a woman born after April 1950.

If your personal benefit statement doesn’t contain a State pension forecast...

This could be for one of several reasons:

• You objected to the Trustees giving your details to the Department of Work & Pensions (DWP)

When we wrote to you about State pension forecasts, some of you said you didn’t want us to give your details to the DWP, and therefore we were unable to obtain a forecast for you

• The DWP weren’t able to provide a forecast

The DWP doesn’t tell us why they can’t provide a forecast, but the most likely reason is that the information they hold about you doesn’t match the information held by the pensions department. If you would like to receive a forecast next year, please contact the pensions team and/or the DWP to check that their records are correct.

• You joined your employer after 1 March 2005

Unfortunately, with so many employees to write to, we were obliged to set a cut-off date, and could only contact employees in service before 1 March 2005. But we are taking steps to make sure a State pension forecast is available for you from next year (unless you object).

What to do next…

If you haven’t received a State pension forecast, but would like to receive one in future, or would just like more information, then please write to, or telephone, the Kingfisher pensions department.
The contact details are here.

Or if you would like to obtain a State pension forecast direct from the DWP, please contact the Pension Service, Retirement Pension Forecasting Team, Tyneview Park, Whitley Road, Newcastle upon Tyne NE98 1BA. Or telephone 0845 3000 168.