FAQs

It’s easy – just contact Aptia, the Fund administrator. 

Contact details for Aptia can be found in the Pensioner Reference Guide.

If you die after you’ve retired and taken your pension, the Trustee may pay a pension to your spouse or dependant, subject to certain conditions. 

Under certain circumstances, children’s pensions will also be payable in the event of your death. 

You can ask Aptia, the Fund administrator, for more details about these conditions and circumstances. 

Contact details for Aptia can be found in the Pensioner Reference Guide.

Your pension is also guaranteed to be paid for at least five years. This means that, if you die within five years after your retirement date and before age 75, subject to certain conditions any balance of payments will be payable as a lump sum in addition to any survivors’ pension.

In this event, you can contact Aptia, the Fund administrator. 

Contact details for Aptia can be found in the Pensioner Reference Guide.

Please quote yours and the member’s full names, addresses, dates of birth, the name of the Fund and the member’s National Insurance number when making contact.

Pensions are paid every four weeks. The payroll calendar can be found here.

Details of how to update your bank details can be found in the Pensioner Reference Guide.

Neither Aptia nor the Co-op Pensions Department can help you with tax queries, as it is a personal financial matter. If you think there’s a problem with the amount of tax being deducted from your United pension, the details for the Tax Office that deals with your pension are listed below. Please remember to quote the Fund’s reference, which is: ZE81062

HMRC
Pay As You Earn
PO Box 1970
Liverpool
L75 1WX 

Telephone: 0300 200 3300 (weekdays, 8am to 8pm)

Yes, pensions in payment are increased annually on 5 April. The increase that is applied depends on the section you were in when you built up pension in the Fund. Your pension is made up of different elements, and the way increases are applied to these different elements can differ, too. 

Most members will have an element of their pension which is called ‘Guaranteed Minimum Pension’ (GMP), which increases each year as directed by the Government. GMPs from before 1988 don’t increase in payment, and GMPs earned after 1988 will increase in line with the annual increase in the Consumer Price Index (CPI), to a maximum of 3%. 

The majority of most members’ pension is known as ‘excess’ pension – this effectively covers anything that’s been built up in the Fund that’s not GMP. The increase applied to your excess pension may be at a fixed rate, or in line with the annual increase in the Retail Prices Index (RPI).

If you have any questions in relation to your pension, or would like any more information, please contact the Fund’s administrator, Aptia. 

If you are receiving a pension from the Fund, contact details for Aptia can be found in the Pensioner Reference Guide. Non-pensioner members can use the Non-pensioner Reference Guide.

If you have any concerns that cannot be dealt with by Aptia, please contact the Pensions Department. 

In writing: Pensions Department, Department 10406, 1 Angel Square, Manchester M60 0AG 

By phone: 0330 606 9449 

By email: [email protected]

You can now use Aptia's Secure digital portal for realtime access to your pension information and the facility to manage your pension online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Details of how to access OneView can be found in the News section of the website.

Your pension is payable from your normal retirement date from the Fund. Your normal retirement date depends on which section you were in. 

You can also retire before or after your normal retirement date in certain circumstances; your benefits will be reduced if taken early and increased if taken late. 

Currently you may apply to receive a reduced pension for any reason from age 55* but Trustee consent may be required. This age limit will not apply if you have to retire due to ill health. 

*The Government has confirmed that the minimum pension age at which people may ordinarily access their pension benefits will increase from 55 to 57 from 6 April 2028, alongside planned increases in the State Pension Age. Depending on when you joined the United Fund and the benefits that you have in the Fund, you may be protected against this change and may still be entitled to access your benefits before age 57 after 6 April 2028.

Yes, pensions in deferment increase between your date of leaving and retirement. The increase applied depends on the section you were in and when you joined and left the Fund. Once your pension is in payment, it will receive annual increases on 5 April. The increase that is applied depends on the section you were in when you built up pension in the Fund. Your pension is made up of different elements, and the way increases are applied to these different elements can differ, too.

Yes, you can transfer all your pension benefits, including any AVCs, to another registered pension scheme or policy. If you are interested in this option, you should ask Aptia for a transfer value (contact details below). Please note, if you wish to transfer to a defined contribution (DC) scheme, you will be required to take independent financial advice before doing so. You will then need to provide to the Trustee written confirmation from your adviser that you have taken appropriate advice from an adviser who is authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority before the transfer can go ahead.

Contact details for Aptia can be found in the Non-pensioner Reference Guide.

Financial advisers are able to provide impartial and personal advice about your pension options, such as when to retire or whether to transfer benefits. The Co-op Group, the Trustee and Aptia are all prevented by law from giving you financial advice; therefore you may find it helpful to talk to a financial adviser. You may be charged a fee for any advice you receive which the Trustee will not pay for. Neither the Co-op nor the Trustee can take responsibility for the advice you receive or any action you may take as a result. You can find out about choosing a financial adviser by visiting MoneyHelper at: www.moneyhelper.org.uk. MoneyHelper is an organisation that provides guidance free of charge on issues relating to money and finances.

If you have any questions in relation to your pension, or would like any more information, please contact the Fund’s administrator, Aptia. 

If you are receiving a pension from the Fund, contact details for Aptia can be found in the Pensioner Reference Guide. Non-pensioner members can use the Non-pensioner Reference Guide.

If you have any concerns that cannot be dealt with by Aptia, please contact the Pensions Department. 

In writing: Pensions Department, Department 10406, 1 Angel Square, Manchester M60 0AG 

By phone: Pensioner members: 0330 606 9449 
All other members: 0330 606 1000 

By email: [email protected] 

Alternatively, if you wish to provide feedback on our pensions website, please follow the instructions at the bottom of the Contact us page.

You can now use Aptia's Secure digital portal for realtime access to your pension information and the facility to manage your pension online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Details of how to access OneView can be found in the News section of the website.