Bradford and Bingley Pension scheme - less than 2 years contributions

geeka

Hello,

This is a bit of a "hope and see" message.

I used to work at Bradford and Bingley about 15 years ago, i paid into the pension scheme but was only there less than 2 years. I should have been given a refund of premiums (i seem to think)

Ive tried using the pension tracing service to no avail, has anyone had dealings with B & B pensions or could anyone offer any advice. Its a long shot but if there is any money owed it would be nice!

Thanks
Tim

Loughton_Monkey

If it was a contributory scheme, then you should possibly [depending upon the scheme rules] have been offered a refund of contributions, less tax. You might find them claiming that this is what they did (or would have done).

You may find that you were, in fact, enrolled in the scheme with deferred benefits. But if you have traced in the correct way, I can only assume you weren't.

There is another option that may have been applied. In my own case, my first employer's pension scheme was non-contributory - although we did have to contribute to the 'widows' part of this [basicall death in service]. My understanding is that if I had left within 2 years, I would have received no return of these contributions, nor any pension entitlement. B&B's cheme may have been similar.

geeka

I never got a response from them after sending 2 letters.

Might have to send a letter to them again. It's a stab in the dark and i have no documentation from the time.

Loughton_Monkey

If you can find who currently handles B&B pensions from that time, then it might be worth trying to talk [nicely] to someone about what the scheme rules were.

Having said that, I am currently claiming a small legacy FS pension from the 70's due September this year. I was absolutely staggered to receive a letter claiming some mumbo-jumbo about GMP not being sufficient and hence my 'retirement' at age 62 could not go ahead. I would simply have to wait until 65. This was wrong! wrong! wrong! and I had the paperwork to prove it. By simply giving them a copy, I received 'confirmation' of my pension from 62 without explanation. Without apology.

I suspect a less 'knowledgable' person might simply have accepted it, and gone without 3 years of pension! What they said may well have applied to a section 32 transfer but that wasn't the case here. It was either extremely poor knowledge by the administrators, or, worse, deliberate tactics to try and save money.

So you do have to watch these people. But I suspect there may be good reasons for your lack of pension.