Ombudsman’s Determination

Outcome

Mrs I’s complaint is upheld and to put matters right Southwark Council shall pay Mrs I the equivalent of seven and a half months of pension for the lack of pension payments between 16 October 2016 and 1 June 2017; together with interest at the base bank rate for the time being quoted by the Bank of England for the period from 16 October 2016 to the date of payment inclusive; and £3,000 for the exceptional distress and inconvenience she has experienced.

Ombudsman’s Determination

Complaint Summary

Mr R has complained that Mr Garner and Liddell Dunbar have delayed the transfer of his pension benefits in the Scheme and that the transfer has not been made. Mr R has also claimed consequential losses as a result of the delay.

Ombudsman’s Determination

Outcome

Mrs T’s complaint is upheld and to put matters right the Trust shall reconsider Mrs T’s application for an ill health retirement pension (IHRP). The Trust shall also pay Mrs T £1000 for the serious distress and inconvenience caused.

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

Complaint summary

Mrs T’s complaint against the Trust is that she believes she should have been awarded Tier 1 and not Tier 2 benefits.

Ombudsman’s Determination

Outcome

Miss S’ complaint is upheld and to put matters right, The Sunday Independent Limited shall backdate Miss S’ pension for the period in question. Further, The Sunday Independent Limited will pay Miss S £500 in recognition of the significant distress and inconvenience caused to her by its maladministration.

Complaint summary

Miss S has complained that The Sunday Independent Limited failed to direct pension contributions into the Plan.

Ombudsman’s Determination

Outcome

The complaint should be upheld against NHS PSL because of NHS PSL’s maladministration in failing to expedite Mrs S’ application for an ill-health retirement pension, preventing that application from being received by the Secretary of State before 1 April 2015 (the Deadline).

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

Ombudsman’s Determination

Outcome

Ms D’s complaint against IFAP is upheld.

To put matters right, IFAP has a joint and several liability, with Halebarns Financial Planning Ltd (HFPL), (see previous Determination PO-20093) to pay into Ms D’s pension arrangement with Royal London, such amount as is necessary so that her monies in that arrangement are of the same value had £415,106 been paid into Ms D’s chosen investment on 8 December 2016.

Ombudsman’s Determination

Complaint Summary

Ms N’s complaint concerns the delay caused by Prudential when processing her transfer request. She had asked for her benefits in the Scheme to be transferred to Computershare Trust Company of Canada, Edward Jones Locked-in Registered Retirement Savings Plan 574-599 (the receiving scheme), but she claims Prudential’s delays prevented the transfer from taking place. As a result, this has caused a loss of investment growth, as well as distress and inconvenience.

Ombudsman’s Determination

Outcome

Mr E’s complaint is upheld and to put matters right, Optimum shall pay him £2,000 for the exceptional distress and inconvenience caused.

Complaint summary

Mr E has complained that Optimum has failed to act on his transfer request.

Ombudsman’s Determination

Outcome

Mr I’s complaint is upheld and to put matters right the Council shall consider backdating Mr I’s ill health retirement pension (IHRP) to May 2011.

The Council shall also pay Mr I £1,000 for the serious distress and inconvenience caused by its actions when dealing with his IHRP application.

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

Complaint summary

Mr I’s complaint against the Council is twofold: –

Ombudsman’s Determination

Complaint Summary

Mrs H has complained that the Council failed to carry out proper due diligence before it transferred her benefits from the Fund to The Focusplay Retirement Benefits Scheme (the Scheme). Mrs H is concerned that her entire pension fund may have been lost or misappropriated.

Summary of the Ombudsman’s Determination and reasons

The complaint shall be upheld against the Council because it failed:

to consider correctly whether or not Mrs H had a statutory right to a transfer; and