Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme (PO-3738)

Subject

Mr Watts’ complaint against Equitable Life and the Cabinet Office, the administrators and managers of the Scheme respectively, is that delays were caused in the transfer of his AVC funds to Legal and General causing him a financial loss.

The Deputy Pensions Ombudsman’s determination and short reasons

The complaint should be upheld against the Cabinet Office only because their agents, Xafinity Paymaster, did not understand the correct forms needed to complete Mr Watts’ open market option under the Equitable Life plan. This meant that an incorrect form was sent out to Mr Watts, as well as incorrect forms being submitted to Equitable Life on two occasions, resulting in a delay in the time taken for Legal and General to receive the monies.