Ombudsman’s Determination

Complaint summary

1. Mr S’s complaint against the Trustee, Staveley Industries Plc, the previous employer, and PS Independent Trustee Limited, the SIRBS manager is that his pension in payment increases were reduced to 3% per annum. He says that he is entitled to 5 % per anum increases as stipulated in the SIRBS rules.
2. The Additional Applicants’ complaints set out above have been associated with Mr S’s complaint by my office.

Ombudsman’s Determination

Outcome

Mr R’s complaint is upheld, and to put matters right AJB shall compensate Mr R for his financial loss arising between 10 and 24 February 2017, by making an appropriate payment to his new pension plan.

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

Ombudsman’s Determination

Outcome

The Applicants’ complaints are upheld and to put matters right Fortum will re-perform the targeting exercises on the Applicants’ pension benefits, using alternate assumptions. Fortum will also pay £500 to each of the Applicants to recognise the distress and inconvenience Fortum’s actions have caused them.

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

Ombudsman’s Determination

Outcome

Mr V’s complaint is upheld and to put matters right Optimum Capita shall:-

Ombudsman’s Determination

Outcome

Mrs R’s complaint is upheld and, to put matters right, NHS BSA should reconsider its decision not to award her Ill Health Retirement benefits.

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

Complaint summary

Mrs R’s complaint against NHS BSA, the Scheme manager, is that it has not accepted her application for Ill Health Retirement (IHR) benefits.

Ombudsman’s Determination

Outcome

Mr I’s complaint is upheld and to put matters right, James Hay Partnership shall pay Mr I £2,000 in recognition of the significant distress and inconvenience caused.

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

Complaint summary

Mr I’s complaint is that James Hay caused an undue and avoidable delay in the transfer of his pension to a new provider. As a result, Mr I lost the opportunity to invest in the stock market immediately following the Brexit referendum in June 2016.

Ombudsman’s Determination

Outcome

Miss S’s complaint is upheld and, to put matters right, the NCA shall reconsider her application for ill health retirement benefits.

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

Complaint summary

Miss S’s complaint about the NCA, her former employer, is it has refused to award her an “in service” ill health pension from 30 September 2015.

Ombudsman’s Determination

Outcome

Dr G’s complaint is upheld and to put matters right, AJ Bell shall reconsider its decision as to the distribution of death benefits under the Plan.

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

Complaint summary

Dr G has complained about AJ Bell’s decision not to award her any benefits under their discretionary powers in the matter of distributing death benefits from her late partner’s pension plan.

Ombudsman’s Determination

Complaint summary

Miss A has complained that the Trustees failed to properly consider her rights, and those of her sisters, when exercising discretion in relation to the Scheme death benefits following the death of their father (Mr M).Complaint Summary

Ombudsman’s Determination

Complaint Summary

This complaint, which the widow of Mr R (Mrs R) brings in her capacity as an executor of the Estate, concerns the lack of information provided to Mr R in relation to benefits under the Scheme.

In summary, Mrs R’s complaint is that the Administrator, acting on behalf of the Trustees, failed to inform Mr R during his terminal illness that the benefits payable to the Estate, and to her as his widow, would be considerably lower if they were not taken during Mr R’s lifetime.