Pension fear

A question about : Pension fear

Back in 1987 as a service engineer, I returned to the workshop to be told by my boss that a pension expert had spoke to the office staff that day and had left forms for me to sign if I wanted a private pension taken out. Today I have received paperwork in the post and it looks like I do not have a state pension to look forward to at all. Looking at the estimated yearly payout, I am feeling very scared at the moment. Can this be transferred back to the state pension scheme at all? You can probably tell that I know nothing at all about how pensions work.

Best answers:

• I think you are confusing a state pension with a private pension.
  If you have been working normally as an employee and paying National Insurance and will have enough contributtions (30 years at the moment, soon to be 35) up to retirement age then you can stop worrying. You will have the basic full state pension.
  You can ring up the DWP and ask for a state pension forecast.
• Youre panicking for nothing, calm down.
  You will receive your state pension as well as the private pension.
  Gen yourself up on pensions....
  State pensions and Private pensions are two completely different things.
• Are you sure you have read it properly and have all of the info?
  You could have contracted out of the state second pension when you joined your company scheme, which wasnt unusual, however that wouldnt mean you dont have a state pension at all, you would still have a basic state pension.
  Also was the company scheme a final salary one? Is so you are probably massively better off.
• https://www.gov.uk/state-pension-statement