Hundreds of teachers across England are facing significant delays in their divorce proceedings due to backlogs in obtaining pension valuations from the Teachers’ Pension Scheme, according to The BBC.
These valuations, known as Cash Equivalent Transfer Values (CETVs), are essential for determining how pensions should be divided during financial settlements.
Amy Goldsmith, a 43-year-old history, geography, and psychology teacher from Bristol, has been waiting since July 2024 for her CETV. Without it, her divorce cannot be finalized.
“I’m two and a half years into my world having been turned upside down,” Amy said. “I can’t have closure and get on with my life”.
The Teachers’ Pension Scheme, which serves approximately two million members, has struggled to meet demand. A Freedom of Information request revealed that at the start of December 2024, nearly 2,000 teachers were awaiting CETV valuations. By January 6, 2025, the Department for Education reported the backlog had reduced to 1,344 cases, though new requests continue to arrive.
The delays are rooted in changes stemming from the 2018 McCloud pension remedy judgment. The court ruled that public service pension schemes had discriminated against younger members, requiring schemes to calculate valuations using a new method. In many cases, this involves performing two separate calculations for each valuation.
David Quinton, a lecturer from Gloucestershire, applied for his CETV in October 2023 and is still waiting. He describes the experience as mentally and financially draining. “I’m still paying a mortgage on a house,” he said.
David has filed numerous complaints and sought support from his MP, Simon Opher, who raised the issue in parliament.
Music teacher Steph Collishaw, 53, from Frome, Somerset, has been waiting for her CETV since May 2024. She says the delay has left her unable to remortgage and prevented progress in her divorce.
The Department for Education stated that delays were not due to staffing shortages but rather the complexity of calculations and changes to valuation methods. An embargo on new CETVs between March and July 2023 further compounded the backlog.
The government has pledged to clear the majority of cases by the end of February 2025, though some groups may face further delays.