St James’s Self-Invested Personal Pension Plan (PO-596)

Subject

Mr Dawson has complained that Alliance Trust Pensions Limited failed to contact him before 4 July 2008 to let him know what further income could be taken during the 2007/08 plan year.  As a result, Mr Dawson did not draw his maximum income in the 2007/08 plan year.

Mr Dawson says the injustice he has suffered is a loss of income of £43,790. To put the matter right, he is seeking £43,790 together with interest.

The Pensions Ombudsman’s determination and short reasons

The complaint should not be upheld against Alliance Trust Pensions Limited.  Even though the review documentation was not issued shortly before the beginning of the second year (5 July 2008) and was issued late, Mr Dawson had been informed of the maximum income he could draw in June 2007.  It was a matter for Mr Dawson to decide how much income he wanted to take and the Trustee had no duty to remind him that he had not taken the maximum income in 2007/08.