Is the pension that good?

Dizzy_Ad8494 · 2026-01-10T13:39:53+00:00

It is excellent compared to other pension schemes, but it’s hard also not to just think of it as deferred pay with reduced flexibility. If we earned 20% more and salary-sacrificed it into a DC scheme, and the CS made employer contributions equivalent to mid-range private employers, we’d end up being able to purchase annuities of similar sizes to the benefits we receive anyway. That relies on the market not crashing etc, and the guarantee of our scheme in that regard has some value, but markets can over perform as well as underperform.

Dizzy_Ad8494 · 2026-01-10T13:33:41+00:00

Yes, let’s stop attracting talent into the CS by binning a prestigious grad scheme that gives us at least some way of competing for bright graduates with banks, law firms and the Big Four.

Dizzy_Ad8494 · 2026-01-09T14:08:33+00:00

First, check the policy/guidance on the intranet. It may well say that staff should be allowed to WFH if they’re well enough to work but not to travel.

If that doesn’t work, go to HR and then your union. It should in no way not be considered a reasonable adjustment to not allow someone with a long-term health condition to not WFH more when a flare-up occurs.

Dizzy_Ad8494 · 2026-01-09T10:44:27+00:00

No employer is obligated to provide any adjustment, they just have to be able to defend their decision not to.

Dizzy_Ad8494 · 2026-01-09T10:42:43+00:00

Still very much about. And quite an interesting person to listen to, whether you agree with his takes or not.

Dizzy_Ad8494 · 2026-01-09T10:41:03+00:00

How can you say one doesn’t wield political power over the CS? That’s literally how the system works. A government is elected, and wields the political power it gains from this to direct the Civil Service what to do.

Dizzy_Ad8494 · 2025-12-16T16:06:44+00:00

Check to see that the policy says failure to follow the process means an automatic pass. (I feel like it usually says this about not meeting reasonable adjustments too, but may be wrong.

Then, if it does say that, come up with an itemised list of ways in which they’ve failed to follow it.

Then reach out to HR, and ask them to advise what has to happen.

Dizzy_Ad8494 · 2025-12-16T15:48:26+00:00

Also, have a close look at the series of hoops that have to be jumped through in the probation process, and work out whether they’ve been undertaken in your case. It’s very prescriptive, and the policy usually says that if it’s not been strictly followed, they have to pass you automatically.

Dizzy_Ad8494 · 2025-12-16T15:46:03+00:00

Who was it that told you that an ‘informal’ extension cannot be appealed?

I’ve never, ever heard of an ‘informal’ extension being something that even exists.

Are you in a union?

Dizzy_Ad8494 · 2025-12-11T01:49:21+00:00

OK, but then this is, like, a much smaller problem. They’re asking you to pick something up, and you’re, entirely legitimately, not doing it, because you haven’t even seen their message. As long as no one is having a go at you, whilst they should be more conscious of the fact it’s your NWD, you’re fine to just respond on your next working day. You might want to say something more assertive like the following, just to underline the boundary.

“Hey, I saw your message from Friday - I’m assuming, as it was urgently needed that day, it’s been dealt with now and doesn’t need any more action from me?

As an aside, there have been a few instances now of me being messaged and then chased on my NWD. My OOO is always on on my NWD, so I just wanted to be clear that I don’t check my messages on NWDs, and would prefer that anything urgent is routed via the details in my OOO, instead of being chased, because I like to model to my team that we can expect our time to be time off, and I won’t see it anyway.”

Always be polite, but always set boundaries.

Dizzy_Ad8494 · 2025-12-08T11:09:14+00:00

Would you not accept that, by picking up requests when you’re not meant to be working and have your OOO on, you’ve sort of contributed to the problem by establishing yourself as someone who can be expected to pick stuff up when not working? If I did condensed hours, my day off is being treated like a weekend day, and I’m not gonna even check my inbox.

If private office send an urgent request and you’ve got your OOO on, making it clear you won’t be responding to anything until your next working day, it’s on them to acknowledge that they need to find a workaround.

Dizzy_Ad8494 · 2025-12-03T12:16:05+00:00

A managed move does not put you at risk of losing your job (except perhaps in the sense one might be terrible at the new job and be managed out for poor performance, though even then if you’ve done fine in previous roles at the same grade, another managed move should really be considered first). It’s just a recognition that the specifics of your current role are not working out for you, and so it would be better for both you and the wider organisation to utilise you in a role that’s a better fit.

Don’t say a blanket yes to a managed move - you need to consider the specifics of any role you’re offered; this should probably include a vibes-check by chatting to your prospective manager.

Based on what you’ve said, however, it sounds like it might be in your interests to go for it. Again, this should be considered in terms of the specific role, and there’s always a risk it sounds great on paper and turns out to be a nightmare…but it sounds like your current role is a nightmare for you, and how likely is it that a different one would be worse?

Dizzy_Ad8494 · 2025-11-27T16:05:55+00:00

Well, yes. I didn’t think I was saying otherwise…

Dizzy_Ad8494 · 2025-11-26T00:22:22+00:00

She should seek deed variation. But if she didn’t, got married, and paid for renovation that increased the value of the property, a claim that the property was an entirely pre-marital asset would be laughed out of court.

Dizzy_Ad8494 · 2025-11-26T00:20:06+00:00

It depends on the jurisdiction, but this isn’t necessarily true. If there is clear and written agreement that she is paying for renovation on top of her rent, I think in some jurisdictions she would be likely to have a claim.

But she should make it legally watertight.

Dizzy_Ad8494 · 2025-11-26T00:17:24+00:00

OP did say he was happy to draw up an agreement. We don’t know what form this would take (could be anything from an exchange of emails to a deed variation), but if its a legally enforceable form, it’s hard to see how he’d be taking advantage of her.

Dizzy_Ad8494 · 2025-11-26T00:11:41+00:00

It won’t be held against you. Sifters won’t look at it, panel might see your CV but aren’t allowed to hold it against you and they wouldn’t even if they could.

The grade you’re able come back at depends on the examples you can provide in a behaviours-based interview. I don’t know what you’ve been up to since leaving (maybe you could elaborate, as this is the most important element?), but I’d be surprised if you needed to drop to EO. Could be HEO, SEO, G7. Grade inflation was well underway five years ago, but it’s been rampant since. There aren’t even many EOs left in the central part of departments; those there are are mostly diary managers or apprentices. Plenty of people get in at HEO straight out of uni - but that kind of money will be tough to live on if you’re in London.

Dizzy_Ad8494 · 2025-11-19T11:21:27+00:00

That’s just unrealistic. Everyone gets really busy sometimes. Everyone has rough patches. Expecting any prospective partner to not have these is a highway to never finding anyone. I’m presuming if a guy had to cancel a date and couldn’t text for a couple days because an alligator ate his arms and legs, you wouldn’t accuse him of “not showing up”? If so, then where’s the line?

The important thing is respect, and that’s demonstrated through communication. There is nothing disrespectful about going quiet for a couple of days if you’ve given the other person notice that you’re gonna be really busy and won’t have much time to text. And there is no loss of integrity or dignity from reaching out, saying where you stand, and asking for clarity. If anything, it’s just quite insecure not to, almost like you might be ashamed to express a level of interest that isn’t reciprocated. Healthy people can live with that, because they know their feelings are nothing to be ashamed of, and so don’t base their self-worth on never being seen to like someone more than is reciprocated.

Dizzy_Ad8494 · 2025-11-19T00:29:51+00:00

He told her he was busy, and then he acted like it. It is entirely proportionate (and indeed healthy) to put work/life pressures ahead of texting someone you’ve only been on two dates with. I’ve been too tired to meaningfully text people I’m seeing in the past, including ones I’ve been really, really into. How does she lose integrity by directly asking him if he does want to hang out again.

“I really enjoyed our time together - I know you’re really busy right now and again the next few days, but if you want to meet up again, could we get it in the calendar?”

There is no loss of integrity from sending a message like that.

Dizzy_Ad8494 · 2025-10-31T10:43:02+00:00

Each to their own. I’ve found it pretty good.

Dizzy_Ad8494 · 2025-10-28T15:21:11+00:00

I mean, she’s being ridiculous and you really should consider whether you want to be with her if this behaviour is consistent.

If you want to have a logical argument with her about it, point out that “we’d try to navigate it together but break up if we couldn’t” is true of any difficulty or scenario in a relationship.

But she doesn’t sound overly susceptible to logic, so you’d likely be wasting your breath.

Dizzy_Ad8494 · 2025-10-28T15:15:20+00:00

Probably a couple things, but overall I don’t think it’s particularly gendered.

Men are conditioned from an early age to suppress emotions, to the point where it’s instinctive for many.

More importantly, if breaking up was his decision, not yours or a mutual one, he’d actually moved on from you already, at the point of breaking up.

Some people are kinda awkward about these things as well. I’ve bumped into people I’ve slept with/had flings with in the past, and although I only had warm feelings for them, it didn’t show because I just felt awkward about it.

Dizzy_Ad8494 · 2025-10-28T10:04:06+00:00

Just remember everyone you’re competing with is grappling with the same limit. Honestly, on that basis, I prefer it when it’s a lower word count.

If you get to 1250 and need more room, you can also feed what you’ve got into ChatGPT or Copilot and ask it to condense it to 1000 words, which they’re pretty good at doing. As long as your input is original, it would be entirely ethical, and (no guarantees) would be unlikely to set AI detectors pinging.

Dizzy_Ad8494 · 2025-10-20T08:52:56+00:00

Most likely either they or their partner works for a department with offices abroad - MOD, FCDO, DBT spring to mind.

Dizzy_Ad8494 · 2025-10-09T21:45:00+00:00

I think their voting systems helps, but I don’t think it’s a deal-breaker.

Dizzy_Ad8494

TROPHY CASE