Mrs Tarn’s complaint against TP is that: She claims that she paid contributions to the TPS when she was on maternity leave which were not taken into account by TP when they calculated her early retirement benefits. TP did not back date her pension to 1 September 2011 as she had requested. TP failed t …

Mr X’s complaint against Photronics, the employer and Standard Life, the Scheme Trustees is that he says some of the contributions paid into the Scheme on his behalf were missed; some were paid late and some were incorrect.

Complaint summary

Mr Cole’s complaint which is against Albion and Legal & General is about the inability to trace his entitlement under the Plan. Effectively, Mr Cole’s complaint is that he has accrued no benefit in respect of contributions paid in the period May 2008 to the end of February 2010.

Summary of the Ombudsman’s determination and reasons

The complaint should not be upheld against Legal & General because they were not sent the necessary documents by Albion to set up a pension arrangement for Mr Cole.

Subject

Mrs Cowdrey complains that, when she applied to purchase Additional Voluntary Contributions (AVCs) in 2007, she was informed that she could purchase Past Added Years (PAY). After making PAY contributions for 34 months, she was told that she was not eligible for it and her benefits were reduced accordingly.

Complaint summary

Mr Forrest has complained against the Scheme Trustees and Mr Trace the sole director of CCCL for failing to ensure that contributions were paid over to the Scheme on his behalf.

Summary of the Ombudsman’s Determination and reasons

The complaint should be upheld against Mr Trace personally because he was effectively acting as a Scheme administrator and was responsible for the non-payment of contributions on behalf of Mr Forrest to AEGON, the Scheme provider.

Complaint summary

The School has complained that the Department for Education and Teachers’ Pensions have incorrectly demanded contributions which they say are owed to the Scheme in respect of Ms Rosemarie Stephens for the period 1 September 2002 to 31 March 2012. The School says that they are not liable to pay any employer contributions and interest in respect of Ms Stephens for this period.

Complaint summary

Mr Moore has complained that pension contributions which were deducted from his salary were not paid into the Plan by the Company.

Summary of the Ombudsman’s determination and reasons

The complaint should be upheld because the Company failed to pay contributions (on Mr Moore’s behalf) within the required time frame.

Ombudsman’s Determination and reasons

I do not uphold Mr Y’s complaint and no further action is required by Lloyds TSB.

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

Complaint summary

Mr Y’s complaint is that:

Ombudsman’s Determination

Outcome

Mrs A’s complaint is upheld and to put matters right the Firm should now pay:

• into the Plan the redress amount calculated by AVIVA, the Plan administrator, required to put Mrs A back in the position she would have been if all the regular pension contributions had been paid at the correct time; and
• £500 compensation to Mrs A in recognition of the distress and inconvenience which they have caused her.

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

Ombudsman’s Determination

Complaint Summary

Mr H has complained that the School, which is an independent school, promised to maintain his membership of the Scheme at the time of his appointment in September 2011, but failed to do so even though it deducted employee contributions from his pay.

Mr H says that the offer of Scheme membership was central to his decision to accept the post and formed part of his contract of employment.