Teachers' Pensions problem. Need to find expert legal advice.

4jbl7

I have an issue with Teachers' Pensions and their claim of a sixteen year overpayment to me.
I need to find a legal firm/solicitor with expertise in this area rather than general employment issues in order to get advice as to what to do next.
I have tried the Law society but no experts in the localist area.
Tried google/thompsons and other searches including Pensions Ombudsman but no luck.
Am I searching for the impossible or just searching incorrectly.
Any help appreciated.
Thanks
4jbl7

molerat

Are you still a union member ? Have you spoken with TPAS ? https://www.pensionsadvisoryservice.org.uk/
What has happened over the past 2.5 years ? https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/70061794#Comment_70061794

4jbl7

molerat wrote: »

Are you still a union member ? Have you spoken with TPAS ? https://www.pensionsadvisoryservice.org.uk/
What has happened over the past 2.5 years ? https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/70061794#Comment_70061794

Retired 16 years ago so no longer a union member.
Tried TPAS and they said contact the Pension Ombudsman, that was it.
The other issue was an entirely different matter and sorted out at the time. Not related at all.
4jbl7

Brynsam

4jbl7 wrote: »

Retired 16 years ago so no longer a union member.
Tried TPAS and they said contact the Pension Ombudsman, that was it.
The other issue was an entirely different matter and sorted out at the time. Not related at all.
4jbl7

Did you contact the Pensions Ombudsman, and if so, what happened? The PO has taken over TPAS's dispute resolution function, so they should be able to assist you: https://www.pensions-ombudsman.org.uk/2018/02/the-pensions-advisory-service-dispute-function-moves-to-the-pensions-ombudsman/

There might have been a 16 year overpayment, but if Teachers' Pensions are trying to claim that far back, they are destined to be disappointed. The PO has made it clear that six years is normally the maximum - and with generous periods for any repayment (which isn't automatic).

I can't see why you would want specialist legal advice, which will cost a lot of money, when the PO can assist in resolving problems in the same way TPAS did until earlier this year, but if you do, any of the large city firms with a pensions practice will be able to field someone, but at a very substantial cost.

retiredProf

4jbl7 said:

I have an issue with Teachers' Pensions and their claim of a sixteen year overpayment to me.
I need to find a legal firm/solicitor with expertise in this area rather than general employment issues in order to get advice as to what to do next.
I have tried the Law society but no experts in the localist area.
Tried google/thompsons and other searches including Pensions Ombudsman but no luck.
Am I searching for the impossible or just searching incorrectly.
Any help appreciated.
Thanks
4jbl7

I'm in that same boat - a 15 year old error (by TPS) and a gargantuan attempted clawback. Can't find any expert. Can we swap experiences? 

retiredProf

Brynsam said:

4jbl7 wrote: »

Retired 16 years ago so no longer a union member.
Tried TPAS and they said contact the Pension Ombudsman, that was it.
The other issue was an entirely different matter and sorted out at the time. Not related at all.
4jbl7

There might have been a 16 year overpayment, but if Teachers' Pensions are trying to claim that far back, they are destined to be disappointed. The PO has made it clear that six years is normally the maximum - and with generous periods for any repayment (which isn't automatic).

Is there a reference point for that 6 year rule. Worried about the "normally' word in there... 

xylophone

Is there a reference point for that 6 year rule. Worried about the "normally' word in there... 

https://www.pensionsadvisoryservice.org.uk/pension-problems/making-a-complaint/common-concerns/mistakes-and-overpayments#:~:text=It's normally the case that you don't have a,when spending or making decisions.

If the mistake that led to an overpayment was made more than six years ago, it may be possible that overpayments made more than six years from when you are told of the mistake, do not need to be repaid.  This will depend on if it was reasonable for the mistake to have been found earlier than it was. This is a complex area.

dunstonh

The reason it has a caveat in there is that some mistakes are blatantly obvious and the pensioner would clearly know it was an error but was keeping quiet.   In those cases, they can go back longer.   So, each case it  considered on its own merits.

TVAS

We can't pay married or divorced women their correct basic state pension, we cannot pay teachers their correct pension. Why can't we do operations properly in this country. 

hyubh

TVAS said:

We can't pay married or divorced women their correct basic state pension, we cannot pay teachers their correct pension. Why can't we do operations properly in this country. 

A common TPS scenario is a pensioner rejoining and not letting the administrator know in order to calculate any applicable abatement. Member claims they didn't know they had to inform, and anyway, couldn't the administrator have put two and two together themselves...?

4jbl7

As the originator of this thread back in July 2018 I can tell everyone that the outcome is still pending.
The appeals process was completed with Teachers' pensions and then onto the Pension Ombudsman for them to investigate.
The process was caught up in Covid and office closure and the Pension Ombudsman has still to come to a decision.
Retired Prof, I did try to send you a private message, did you receive it ?
Regards
4jbl7