IHR and Pension

[ruudy]

Hi, I'm posting on behalf of a family member. I've been trying to get to grips with Royal Mail Pensions (particularly related to IHR) and it's giving me a bit of a headache.

He's potentially going to be looking at whether he meets the criteria for IHR. From what I can gather comes with two possibilities:

1. IHR with Lump Sum (Now 16 weeks + 12 weeks PILION + remaining leave) - Mainly for those who the Business can't accommodate in the nearer term.

2. IHR with Pension - Usually for those who are deemed to be unlikely to work again, permanently (or in the next 10 years).

The Lump sum option seems fairly straight forward, it's the pension options that are causing me a bit of difficulty with so many changes over the years, plus the whole 55 and 65 thing.

I've also seen something related to the pensions about a 3 year plan (UNUM maybe?) - What happens after the 3 years? His issue here is that he doesn't know if the 3 year plan will cover his costs for 3 years, plus at the the end of that he will still be about another 2-3 years from NRA.

I've asked him to speak to the pension people dealing with the RMPP/DBCBS (as listed on his wage slip) but all they told him is that he would get an illustration through in October. No indication of what he has and/or might receive if he were to be given IHR with pension - which is really unhelpful.

I guess the easiest thing would be if he could sit down or have a call with somebody who knows the specifics and they could talk him through his options with an idea of the figures involved. Is there any service open to the posties that can help with this - particularly the figures? Don't agree with the idea of him disabled, unable to work due to RM, and receiving a pittance.

[RobertT]

I thinks it's a case of having the 2 options of:

1. IHR with lump sum – 16 weeks pay, etc.
2. Unum - half pay for 3 years and then a lump sum.

Taking the pension will be a separate thing. Whether that would be paid in full or reduced for early payment, will depend on his medical condition.

I know someone who got IHR with lump sum - 34 weeks at the time, and has since taken his pension unreduced before age 55, due to him being declared as unfit to work again.

If he has last years pension statements, then use those for a rough guide to what he's entitled to.

Can his office CWU rep help, or give him the details of someone else in the CWU who can?

[ruudy]

Thanks Robert.

They certainly don't make it easy to follow or obtain policies. Part of the difficulty I've been having is that I've sort of been caught between the latest information on the People App and an actual policy from 2009. I'm sure that 2009 policy has long changed, but actually looks like a proper policy whereas the people app doesn't. The old policy makes a lot of references to 'IHR with immediate pension', which I guess has added to my confusions, but I'm guessing that has changed a lot since 2009. I'll probably never know as HR don't answer the phones, and want nothing to do with helping out by email.

I think a lot of what you've said lines up with the information on the people app so what you have say does seem correct.

Presumably the 3 years Unum is what they refer to as "ill health with income benefit" ? I don't think Unum are actually named anywhere in the people app document which doesn't help It doesn't say anything about the half-pay component either.

Do you know where further information can be found on the Unum benefit? Would be useful to know what sort of lump sum can be expected at the end of the 3 years.

He hasn't kept any old statements either, which has made it a challenge to figure anything out. Have had to spend a bit of time learning about the multitude of Royal Mail Group pensions over the years

I've tried the CWU rep but they often don't come back to us. I always feel like I'm hassling them. Not being the Royal Mail employee doesn't help either. It's quite easy to see how ill employees just give up.

[RobertT]

IHR with immediate payment of pension went in 2018 I think, with the 4 pillars agreement.

There are some threads on here about Unum, just use the search function. But I don't know of anything official.

RM pensions are mad. Many people don't understand them!

[Hitbox]

is there any update in regards to taking 25% of your cash balance if you retired by ill health?

just getting the feelers out chancing if i do get ill health redundancy (cos that's what it is)

i have the RMPP one along with some tied up with Capita (i started 2006, cant remember when we left Capita though)

[BigRon62]

Hi just wondering if anyone could give me some advice here.i just left royal mail last month after 36 years with Ill health retirement l am 61 years old.my doctor has told me that due to the conditions I suffer from I won't be able to work again.the occupational health consultant put in her report that I would be able to work again at some time in the future.as I have a degenerative condition my doctor found the oh report a bit puzzling.what I would like to know is how this will affect my 65 pension if I decide to take it early will it come down to the doctors report or occupational health. as obviously if I can't work again through Ill health i should be entitled to my pension non reduced.and does anyone know who i would appeal if my pension is reduced . Regards Ronnie

[LUKEYBOYS2015]

The OH consultant cant overrule your own doctor or hospital consultant. Not sure why they've put that in the report.
Take care

[Terrance]

Hi optima asked for consent for my medical records which I gave but they never received them, my surgery said they never contacted them but optima said they did but there was no reply 4 times.The new health partner hasn’t bothered asking but they do have a report from My advanced physio practitioner stating I have good medical history and I have tried lots of medications and physio but to no effect and surgery is my only option now.I have sent my MRI results to the clinician as I have an assessment tomorrow f with OH I am going to request some crutches as the pins and needles and tingling have come back in right foot.Royal Mail will probably say you can’t have IHR you can still walk around with crutches

[Terrance]

when I had my occupational health assessment on Wednesday she was saying she will recommend I put Mail into the fitting for light duties I told her I can’t do that it makes my back pain worse so she said I’m going to recommend it anyway.I read my report today and she said I can’t go back for the foreseeable future or do any light duties before my back surgeries.She said I might not be able to return after my surgery depending on the outcome and she can’t give any time frames.She told them to hold a meeting with me ,hopefully I Will get IHR now.

[denowashere]

@Terrance I have gone through more or less the same as you if you don't ask your manager or the DOM to put down the straight forward question about (LTBIH) you will end up going around and around in circles with manager's asking the same old questions, I asked the area manager to specifically ask that question and put it to OH and end the monotonous question's the manager keeps asking, finally I had a referral to speak to the OH Doctor and he plus a colleague also a Doctor recommended (LTBIH) by the way this was last week with health partners hope this helps in some way.

[Terrance]

Denowashere when you said you went through HR to speak to the area manager did you ask for he’s phone number or he’s email address? I think I might have to do the same as I put in a grievance about my line manager,is HR number 0345 6060603?

[denowashere]

@Terrance at first my line manager refused to give me his number then I went to HR and told them my line manager refused to release a higher ranking manager's number to make a complaint against him, that started the ball rolling HR gave me his number and at the same time I placed a grievance against my line manager, I posted before how long the grievance hearing will take, my grievance went in (may 6th) and to this date all I have had is a template letter every 3to4 weeks it reads I will endeavour to make contact with you within the next 2 weeks,I have kept every single one and hope to decorate my hallway with them.

[Terrance]

I had a letter come this morning, I have a meeting at my office on Monday morning not sure what it’s for, any ideas anyone?

[Terrance]

Hi I had my meeting today and my DOM said your report says you can’t come back for the foreseeable future but you might be able to work in the future after your surgery, so they won’t give you IHR, I said if I have spinal fusion I won’t be able to bend so I wouldn’t be able to come back and he said they won’t be doing anymore assessments they will go off this report, he’s manager has put to him that I might be able to to get 12 PILON payment and my annual leave I haven’t taken, then he said we paid you your annual leave while you have been on sick , they never got my permission so I spoke to ACAS and they said it’s agiainst the law to do that , so I messaged him and told him so let’s see what they come back with.