HSC Pension Scheme (PO-23680)

Ombudsman’s Determination

Outcome

Ms N’s complaint against HSC Business Service Organisation is partly upheld. To put matters right, HSC Business Service Organisation shall award Ms N £500 in recognition of the significant distress and inconvenience which she has experienced dealing with this matter.

The complaint made against DHSS is one of employment law which is outside of my jurisdiction and therefore cannot be considered by me.

Complaint summary

Ms N has complained that:-

· HSC Pension Service (HSC), a part of the HSC Business Services Organisation, supplied her with an early retirement quotation in August 2016 showing incorrectly overstated benefits available to her as at 31 July 2016. She says she relied upon this quotation to her financial detriment by leaving employment early with her employer, DHSS, on 30 November 2016. In her view, she will suffer a shortfall during the duration of her pension of “tens of thousands of pounds”.

· DHSS persuaded her to take a part time role for a fixed term of 10 months, in addition to her existing two roles, without drawing to her attention the allegedly detrimental effect this would have on the amount of retirement benefits available to her from the Scheme.