Major problem with trying to get my NHS pension

2014

Back in the 70s I worked in the NHS were it was obligatory to pay a superannuation scheme.
Recently I have received my pension from NHS but they have only paid my pension from a position I held at a much later date.
after much delving into my past history although records show I was employed by the NHS for a number of years it fails to show my contribution into the obligatory superannuation scheme.

Does any know how my situation has become possible ?

I am at present about to make an official complaint and take my case to the pension ombudsman.

jamesd

You might try contacting the HMRC Contracted Out Helpline with note taking facilities available. They will be able to tell you which years you were contracted out for and which scheme received the money. That may help to narrow down the periods of service within the NHS and could prove that there were contributions received (or in this case, never made). Any other evidence you have of time in the job would also be of use.

Once you have that information it should be possible to resolve the problem without taking the route of a formal complaint, just by providing the details of service periods that can be checked. Better to be informal unless they just refuse to recognise genuine past service.

greenglide

2014 wrote: »

Back in the 70s I worked in the NHS were it was obligatory to pay a superannuation scheme.
Recently I have received my pension from NHS but they have only paid my pension from a position I held at a much later date.

When you left the NHS in the 70's is it possible that you had the contributions refunded?

When you restarted employment with them was your previous service not added to the current one then?

Either of these would explain why you have only got one pension now.

hyubh

2014 wrote: »

Does any know how my situation has become possible?

What greenglide said. This bit of legislation shows deferred benefits became possible from November 1973, with a vesting period of five years:

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1973/1649/pdfs/uksi_19731649_en.pdf

As such, if your 1970s NHS job lasted less than five years, you would have received a refund of your contributions instead of pension benefits drawable at a later date.

2014

Thanks Jamesed I will contact that link you gave me.

The posiibility of my contributions back in the 70s had been refunded has been discussed yet No refund of any contributions can be verified as I have asked for this.
Reams of paper came back stating my work history yet nothing in black white regarding my obligatory contributions that I was compelled to pay during the 70s when I worked fo 11 years at the same hospital.

It was such a shock when all came to light when my NHS pension started to be paid.

hyubh

2014 wrote: »

No refund of any contributions can be verified as I have asked for this.

Keeping proper records of pensions accrued three and a half decades ago - definitely. Keeping proper records of pensions not accrued three and a half decades ago - well, that's not the first thing on a payroll manager's mind...

Reams of paper came back stating my work history yet nothing in black white regarding my obligatory contributions that I was compelled to pay during the 70s when I worked fo 11 years at the same hospital.

Were you actually contributing during all those 11 years though? A blanket ellibility for all part timers is a relatively recent thing, for example:

http://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/Pensions/Documents/Pensions/A_History_of_Part-time_Employees_Factsheet.pdf

Put another way: what makes you think you paid contributions during all of that time - payslips you still have? Annual or deferred statements? Reference made to when you rejoined?

It was such a shock when all came to light when my NHS pension started to be paid.

What happened to your own paperwork...?

2014

Hyubh
Thank you for reply.
As I said I had no choice on paying the superannuation contribution as it was obligatory. The fact that it was a compulsury contribution and the fact my records show evidence of me being employed.
This is where I am hitting a brick wall.
No verification of any refunds ever paid ??
So where have these contributions gone ?
I have not kept any pay slips going back during my employment in the 70s
I never thought I needed to ??
How wrong I was ??

jem16

2014 wrote: »

As I said I had no choice on paying the superannuation contribution as it was obligatory. The fact that it was a compulsury contribution and the fact my records show evidence of me being employed.

That doesn't amount to proof though. Many nurses kept their hours just below full time to avoid having to pay into the pension scheme.

What hours did you work then?

No verification of any refunds ever paid ??
So where have these contributions gone ?

Apparently it was almost custom for nurses to take a refund of their contributions back in the 70s.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/pensions/2861698/Whitehall-refuses-to-treat-the-case-of-cash-in-nurses.html

I have not kept any pay slips going back during my employment in the 70s
I never thought I needed to ??
How wrong I was ??

Very wrong unfortunately, but not with regards the payslips.

You would have received benefit statements and if you had left with 11 years of contributions I would have thought you would have been very careful to at least keep the final one as proof of your pension. The payslips wouldn't really have been needed though if you had the statement.

2014

Thanks for replies.

atush

Have you asked HMRC for the tax/salary paid to you the year you left?






The income for that year would have been higher than your salary if it included the refund of contributions.

MsSupertech

You would have received benefit statements and if you had left with 11 years of contributions I would have thought you would have been very careful to at least keep the final one as proof of your pension. The payslips wouldn't really have been needed though if you had the statement.[/QUOTE]

No so - I'm afraid the NHS doesn't routinely send out statements of benefits. It is possible to request a pensions estimate but the only record employees have is their payslip and/or P60. Given that NHS & similar final salary schemes don't have any 'money pot' this shouldn't be too surprising.