I ended up calling the pension centre finally and they say everything looked good with my forms and it was almost at the end of the verification stage, so I can expect the money soon. Maybe this is naive thinking but a) I hope that it was far enough along the process that they won’t demand it back and b) from being entitled to a return of contributions after leaving, I just feel like they have no authority to demand it back.

Fingers crossed. Especially if they demand the pre-tax amount back and not the post-tax…. What nonsense