Boots Retirement Savings Plan (CAS-72621-Z0F7 and CAS-52587-G0C7)

Ombudsman’s Determination

Outcome

I do not uphold Mr E’s complaints and no further action is required by WBA or L&G.

Complaint summary

Mr E submitted two complaints:

• On behalf of the Estate of Mrs E, he complained that when employee contribution rates increased in the Auto-Enrolment Section (the AE Section) of the Plan in 2017, Mrs E should have been informed that she would receive higher employer contributions and obtain life assurance cover if she switched to the original Main Section (the Main Section) of the Plan.
• As Mrs E’s beneficiary, he complained that because Mrs E was not enrolled in the Main Section in 2017, he received a lower value from her pension fund, and did not receive a life assurance payout.

Mr E considered he should receive the benefits that would have been paid if Mrs E had been in the Main Section of the Plan. He also requested that a review be conducted of WBA’s pension management and communication practices.