Citizens Advice names first 44 locations for face to face Pension Wise guidance
26 January 2015
Each delivery centre will have between three and seven paid members of highly trained staff providing pensions guidance.
The Citizens Advice Bureau has released the names of the first 44 bureaux in England and Wales which will be delivery centres for face to face Pension Wise sessions.
Each delivery centre will have between three and seven paid members of highly trained staff providing pensions guidance. Staff numbers will depend on local population and size of area covered by the delivery centre.
Face to face Pension Wise appointments will be available at delivery centre bureaux. The bureaux will also use a range of outreach locations to deliver guidance throughout England and Wales to ensure maximum access to the face to face service. People will be able to go into any Citizens Advice Bureau to find out about the Pension Wise service, whether they’re eligible and be referred to book in with the nearest delivery centre. People will also be able to access guidance and information over the phone from The Pensions Advisory Service (TPAS) and online through the Pensions Wise website.
Citizens Advice is working with the Treasury to make sure as many people as possible can easily access a face to face Pension wise session. To maximise coverage the charity is expected to announce a small number of extra delivery centres soon.
Citizens Advice has had an excellent response to its recruitment drive for Pension Wise agents and caseworkers. People recruited to both roles will receive rigorous training and will deliver the pensions guidance as developed by HMT, TPAS and Citizens Advice. Staff will be assessed to ensure they meet FCA standards before they start offering guidance to the public.
For details of the delivery centres, visit the Citizens Advice Bureau website.
Pension Wise
Pension Wise is the name of the guidance guaranteed by the government to help individuals with their pension choices when changes commence in April 2015.
When the changes to pensions were announced at Budget 2014 the government said all retirees would have the right to free, independent guidance on their retirement options from April 2015.
If you are 55 or over and have a defined contribution pension (a pension based on how much has been paid into the pot), it is your decision how you take the money.
Pension Wise will be the free and impartial service to help you understand what your choices are and how they work. Help will be available on the Pension Wise website, over the phone or face to face about:
- what you can do with your pension pot
- the different pension types and how they work
- what’s tax-free and what’s not.
You can register your interest to get early access to the Pension Wise service. You’ll get help and guidance, as well as being able to give feedback about how the service can be improved.