How to Request a CETV From Your Pension Provider

Every Pension Needs a CETV Before You Can Divide It

A Cash Equivalent Transfer Value is the lump-sum figure a pension scheme would pay to transfer your accrued benefits to another scheme. In a divorce, the CETV is the starting point for every pension discussion — whether you are considering a Pension Sharing Order, offsetting pension against property, or a pension attachment order.

You cannot meaningfully negotiate a financial settlement without current CETVs for every pension both spouses hold. Courts in England and Wales require pension valuations as part of financial disclosure, so obtain an up-to-date CETV before relying on it.

How to Request Your Own CETV

Step 1: Identify all pension schemes. Check payslips, annual pension statements, P60s, and any old correspondence from former employers. Do not forget workplace auto-enrolment schemes — even small pots count. If you have lost track, the government's free Pension Tracing Service can help locate schemes from previous employers.

Step 2: Write to each provider. Contact each pension scheme's administration team and request a CETV for the purpose of divorce proceedings. Most schemes accept requests by letter, email, or online portal. Your request should include your full name, date of birth, National Insurance number, pension scheme membership number, and a clear statement that you are requesting the CETV in connection with divorce proceedings under the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973.

Step 3: Use Form P if required. Some pension providers, particularly public sector schemes (NHS, Teachers', Civil Service), require you to submit Form P — the formal pension inquiry form used in divorce proceedings. Form P asks for basic details about you, your spouse, and the divorce case reference number. You do not need your spouse's signature to request your own CETV.

Step 4: Wait for the response. Pension providers can take up to three months to supply a CETV after receiving a valid request, though most respond within four to six weeks. Public sector schemes (NHS Pensions, Teachers' Pension Scheme) tend to be slower. Check whether an older CETV needs refreshing before relying on it.

How to Request Your Spouse's CETV

You cannot request a CETV from your spouse's pension provider directly — the provider will only release information to the scheme member. There are two routes:

Voluntary disclosure. In cooperative separations, both spouses request their own CETVs and exchange them. This is the norm for consent orders prepared using Form D81.

Court-ordered disclosure. In contested proceedings, Form E requires each party to obtain and disclose CETVs for every pension scheme. If your spouse fails to comply, the court can order the pension provider to produce the information directly.

What the CETV Number Actually Means

For defined contribution pensions (money purchase schemes, SIPPs, workplace auto-enrolment), the CETV is straightforward — it reflects the current value of the investment pot. A £80,000 CETV means there is £80,000 invested.

For defined benefit pensions (final salary schemes like NHS, Teachers', and Civil Service), the CETV is misleading. These schemes pay a guaranteed, inflation-linked income for life. The CETV is the pension scheme's conservative estimate of what it would cost to transfer those benefits elsewhere. A £300,000 CETV on a defined benefit pension might require £450,000 or more on the open market to purchase an equivalent guaranteed income stream.

This is why the Pensions Advisory Group recommends instructing a Pension on Divorce Expert when combined CETVs exceed £100,000 or when defined benefit schemes are involved. The PODE — an independent actuary instructed as a Single Joint Expert — calculates the true replacement cost and the exact percentage split needed to equalise retirement income between both parties.

Costs

Most pension providers issue CETVs for divorce purposes free of charge. Some private schemes charge an administration fee of £50 to £150. Public sector implementation fees are separate and significantly higher — the NHS Pension Scheme charges £2,200 to £3,000+ to implement a Pension Sharing Order once the court has approved it — but those fees arise later, not at the CETV request stage.

The Wales Divorce Financial Split & Asset Division Guide includes a pension comparison worksheet that helps you organise CETVs across multiple schemes, compare defined benefit and defined contribution values, and evaluate whether pension sharing, offsetting, or attachment best fits your circumstances.

See more Wales guides →