How long does it take to get a PODE report?

One of the first questions we’re asked is, “How long will this take?” The short answer: it depends. Time scales vary hugely depending on the type and number of pensions involved, the completeness of the information you already have and (the most significant variable) how quickly pension providers respond to our requests. In real terms it can vary from less than 6 weeks to more than 6 months.

Once we have all the required information we’ll get your report back to you within 10 working days.

Here’s what you can expect, and how we keep things moving as quickly as possible.

What Needs to Happen First

Before we can even begin the analysis, we need to gather the full picture. That includes:

• Details of all pensions involved

• Signed forms giving your permission for each pension provider to share information about your pensions with us

• Confirmation of instruction and upfront payment

Only once we’ve got those, we can start contacting the pension schemes.

Average Timescales by Pension Type

Here’s what we typically see when it comes to waiting for providers:

• Private Defined Contribution schemes (e.g. personal pensions):

  • Around 3–4 weeks

• Public Sector Defined Benefit schemes (e.g. NHS, teachers, LGPS):

  • Typically 6–10 weeks

  • longer if McCloud Remedy calculations are needed

• Uniformed Services pensions (police, armed forces, firefighters):

  • Up to 12 weeks

• Public sector pensions affected by the McCloud remedy:

  • Up to 6 months - this position is easing as the backlog is worked through but there are still instances of long delays getting all the information needed

• State Pension forecasts:

  • 📨 Immediate if requested by you online via gov.uk

We Chase Weekly - So You Don’t Have To

We know how frustrating it is to wait in silence. That’s why we:

• Submit all data requests promptly after payment

• Send weekly chasers to each provider

• Keep a clear log of progress (and delays)

• Flag any schemes known to be slow or problematic upfront

If there’s something you can do to speed things up, like requesting data yourself, we’ll tell you.

Once We Have the Data

From the point we receive all the required pension information, most reports are delivered within 10 working days.

The Bottom Line

Pension schemes don’t always move fast, but we do. The sooner we’re instructed, the sooner we can get started. And with weekly chasers and transparent tracking, we’ll do everything we can to get you a clear, accurate, and timely PODE report.

Do you need a PODE Report?

Not sure if you need a pension sharing report, take our free assessment.

In under 2 minutes, you will know whether you need a pension sharing report, what type and what to do next.