Ombudsman’s Determination

Complaint Summary

Mr G has complained that USS refused to award him ill health retirement benefits.

Summary of the Ombudsman’s Determination and reasons

The complaint is upheld against USS because it has not interpreted the Scheme Rules correctly when considering Mr G’s application for ill health retirement benefits. There is no finding of maladministration against the University, so the complaint against it is not upheld.

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 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.