Referrals Process
This notice will be of interest to:
To note:
Background
1. Further to EPN379, Capita Health and Wellbeing (CHW) has reviewed its processes following the decision not to introduce the online portal service. This EPN clarifies your responsibilities when requesting services from CHW to prevent unnecessary delays with case processing.
Documentation to be submitted with ill health retirement referrals
2. You should only submit documents from the member’s sick file that are less than 12 months old to support the referral made to CHW. The member’s complete personal file should not be submitted. Specific documentation required must include:
3. The relevant papers may be held on the member’s personal file in a sealed envelope marked MIC or they may be held by the employer’s OH provider. If the necessary information is held by the OH provider the employer should obtain the papers from their OH provider before making the referral to CHW. Full details of the requirements can be found in the Employers Pension Guide Appendices F and H of section 6 Annex J.
Early payment of preserved awards
4. For early payment of preserved award cases you must submit a job description in all cases. If the member’s actual job description cannot be located you must provide a generic job description that realistically reflects the duties of the member’s grade at the time they left the Civil Service. CHW will not accept these referrals without a form of job description with effect from 1 September 2014. The reason for this is CHW has had to set up face to face consultations with members in the past in order to establish their job role and not for any specific medical reason, adding cost and time to the process and also inconvenience to the member.
Case updates and enquiries
5. Any procedural issue enquiries should be made through MyCSP using the email address scu@mycsp.gse.gov.uk. Please note that phone calls to CHW should not be necessary and should not be a matter of course when a case has been submitted. CHW will also inform referrers when the status of a case changes.
6. The current level of calls CHW is experiencing is affecting the delivery of its administration services. To manage this, with effect from 18 August 2014 CHW will operate a limited time only service for calls from employers. The times will be between 10.00 and 12.00 and 14.00 and 16.00 Monday to Friday. There is a new contact number to use for pension enquiries with immediate effect – 03456 011994.
7. Please note that all cases will continue to be dealt with within the agreed SLA as appropriate, and where this is not possible CHW will notify the referrer in writing.
Change to IHR1 to include IHR3
8. There is now only one form to complete when applying for ill health retirement and the HMRC severe ill health assessment – the IHR3 has been incorporated into the IHR1. The member will have to complete IHR1 P1 as before, but this now includes the option to apply for the HMRC severe ill health assessment.
9. This should avoid delays to the ill health retirement awarding process because the severe ill health assessment can be requested at the same time. Please note it is your responsibility to enter the member’s state pension age on this form in IHR1 P2. The new IHR1 form is issued with this EPN and will be available in the annex below.
Increase to charges with effect from 1 July 2014
10. CHW has notified Cabinet Office of its decision to increase the charges for services in line with RPI (2.4%) in accordance with the framework agreement.
Contacts
If you have a question about the distribution of EPNs or you need to receive them in a different format contact employerpensionnotice@cabinet-office.gsi.gov.uk.
You can find electronic copies of the Employers’ Pension Guide, all current EPNs and forms on our website.
This notice is for employers and should not be issued to scheme members.
If members have a question about their pension they can find information on this website or by contacting your Pension Service Centre.