Royal Borough of Greenwich (PO-7667)

Ombudsman’s Determination

Outcome

I do not uphold Ms S’ complaint and no further action is required by RBG.

My reasons for reaching this decision are explained in more detail below.

Complaint summary

Ms S’ complaint is that RBG provided her with incorrect annual benefit statements over a number of years and she based certain decisions on this misinformation.

Among other things Ms S says:

• She works in an area of social work where posts are hard to fill so she is paid a retention payment.
• As she is at the end of her career she has watched her pension avidly.
• Her intention was to retire at age 60.
• Following receipt of her 2012 annual benefit statement and knowing that she could not afford the mortgage on her existing property in retirement she decided to sell it and buy a property for her retirement and a flat to live in while she continued working (to be sold on retirement with the net proceeds used to reduce the mortgage on her retirement property).
• She was aware that the 2012 statement was not guaranteed but did not expect the prediction to be out by approximately 10 per cent.
• RBG failed to timely notify affected employees that retention payments were not pensionable.
• If she had known that retention payments were not pensionable she would have sought a better paid job.
• She has calculated that, based on a life expectancy of 85, her pension loss is approximately £45,000.
• It is too late for her to make up this shortfall.