Subject

Mr Trebilcock complains that Friends Life have refused to allow him to transfer from another scheme into what they describe as the Milestones Plan.

The Pensions Ombudsman’s determination and short reasons

The complaint should be upheld against Friends Life because the Terms and Conditions of the Scheme are contractual and state that he can make a transfer payment from another scheme at any time and there is no reason that the transfer in should be separated out from his existing membership of the Scheme.

Subject

Mrs Francis has complained that the Council, the managers of the Scheme, have failed to grant her Tier 1 ill health benefits in a timely manner.

The Pensions Ombudsman’s determination and short reasons

The complaint should be upheld against the Council because Mrs Francis could have been awarded her Tier 1 benefits considerably earlier than she was. The decision was improperly made twice in 2011.

Subject

Mr Anderson complains that NCC, as Administering Authority of the Scheme, delayed carrying out the review of his ill health pension appeal. In particular, Mr Anderson says that maladministration led to unacceptable delays and he is due compensation for financial loss and distress and inconvenience.

Subject

Miss Gallon has complained that the respondents have refused her request for payment from service (as opposed to from deferment) of her pension on the grounds of ill health and, in particular, that following her medical on 4 May 2010 for ill-health retirement she was not put on any tier in accordance with the Council’s pension policy.

Subject

Mr Gooch complains that LV= have failed to disclose the information they relied on, and the reasoning, for their decision not to award death benefits to him. He says that he has a legitimate interest and there may have been maladministration in the decision of the N M Pensions Trustees Limited (the Trustee).

Subject

Mrs Gordon-Smith has complained that Veterans UK provided incorrect information in connection with her divorce.

The Deputy Pensions Ombudsman’s determination and short reasons

The complaint should be upheld against Veterans UK because Mrs Gordon-Smith’s pension credit pension should not have been reduced.

Subject

Mrs Perrett has complained that as a result of RBS Group Pension Services (GPS), the scheme administrator acting on behalf of the Trustees, providing inaccurate and misleading information she opted out of the Scheme thereby losing the option to elect Voluntary Early Retirement (VER) to her financial detriment.

Subject

Mr Brown’s complaint against the Service is that his retirement date was incorrectly recorded as 18 November 2013 with his lump sum figures also being calculated based on the maximum possible entitlement as at that date. He says he planned his life and finances around this retirement date but now has to wait until December 2015 to take his benefits.

Subject

Ms Nowacka’s complaint is that Xafinity Paymaster refunded her PCSPS contributions instead of transferring her entitlement to the New Police Pension Scheme (NPPS).

The Pensions Ombudsman’s determination and short reasons

The complaint should be upheld. Ms Nowacka received confusing correspondence and her home address was not used. In consequence Ms Nowacka missed the opportunity to transfer her entitlement to NPPS.

Subject

Mr Leaning has complained that his eligibility for ill health retirement benefits has not been properly assessed. He is of the opinion that he should have been awarded Tier 1 benefits rather than Tier 3. Mr Leaning says that failure to properly assess his eligibility for benefit has caused him great stress.

The Deputy Pensions Ombudsman’s determination and short reasons

The complaint should be upheld against NLC because they failed to consider Mr Leaning’s eligibility for benefit under Regulation 20 in the proper manner.