NHSBSA refusing to acknowledge payslip which states I paid into NHS pension

clairabellx

This may be someone else's experience too? 

I paid into the NHS pension scheme from Feb 1995 but the NHSBSA claims that it only has records from my second job July 1995. This was the days of paper records and it was an old psychiatric hospital, so it is possible paperwork wasn't filed. However, my payslip states clearly that I paid into the NHS pension scheme from the February. I am not the type to request a refund as I transferred straight into another post in the July, I left my contributions in believeing that they would be honoured.

The NHSBSA is using every strategy to deny my contributions from the Feb. The reason that this matters so much, apart from being fraudulent to take contributions from my pay and not apply them to the scheme, is that I would be eligible for Mental Health Officer status (the right to retire at 55 instead of 60, which was abolished in the summer of that year. The MHO was in recognition of the type of work that we did, and I certainly did experience some challenges. I am now struggling with my health so moving the goalposts of my retirement date further away is quite distressing. 

Has anyone managed to get the NHSBSA to accept their evidence of membership of the pension scheme? 

Marcon

clairabellx said:

This may be someone else's experience too? 

I paid into the NHS pension scheme from Feb 1995 but the NHSBSA claims that it only has records from my second job July 1995. This was the days of paper records and it was an old psychiatric hospital, so it is possible paperwork wasn't filed. However, my payslip states clearly that I paid into the NHS pension scheme from the February. I am not the type to request a refund as I transferred straight into another post in the July, I left my contributions in believeing that they would be honoured.

The NHSBSA is using every strategy to deny my contributions from the Feb. The reason that this matters so much, apart from being fraudulent to take contributions from my pay and not apply them to the scheme, is that I would be eligible for Mental Health Officer status (the right to retire at 55 instead of 60, which was abolished in the summer of that year. The MHO was in recognition of the type of work that we did, and I certainly did experience some challenges. I am now struggling with my health so moving the goalposts of my retirement date further away is quite distressing. 

Has anyone managed to get the NHSBSA to accept their evidence of membership of the pension scheme? 

This sounds like possible maladministration, which is a long way from fraud (but just as annoying!).

I can't answer your question (and I'm not sure it would help much if anyone else has personal experience of this, since each case will be assessed on an individual basis), but I can point you in the direction of free, expert and impartial help to get this sorted out: https://www.moneyhelper.org.uk/en/pensions-and-retirement/pension-problems

May I also suggest that you try this link and get your NI history from April 1994 on (i.e. up to now): https://www.tax.service.gov.uk/shortforms/form/DPU_SAR_NI?_ga=2.230026460.1544670040.1621021753-1315656139.1609178084 

Why? Because the NHS scheme was contracted out of the State Additional Pension (was SERPS, then the State Second Pension) until contracting out was abolished a few years ago. Your NI history will show one of two things: either that you were contracted out from February 1995 on; OR that you were contracted out from July 1995 on. If the latter is the case, you'll find the words "Method of preservation: payment of Contributions Equivalent Premium" in relation to the period February-July 1995 (it'll be in a summary towards the end of the huge pile of paperwork you'll get).

What I don't know for sure is whether you/your employer from February to July 1995 would have needed to take any action to ensure you had continuous pensionable service in the NHS scheme. Hopefully someone with more knowledge of the scheme will be along to comment on that soon. I think it should have been automatic. 

Have you had any benefit statements over the years with a start date of February 1995? if not, have you queried this before now?

PoGee

Check out your staff intranet 'staff benefits' section. There should be free pension advisers there that you can make an appointment with. Or are you a member of a union? If that doesn't help, there are high street financial advisers who are also clued up on nhs pensions but they charge a fee. If you're a member of a professional organisation, they should have advisers to help also. I hope you get this sorted out. 

Marcon

PoGee said:

Check out your staff intranet 'staff benefits' section. There should be free pension advisers there that you can make an appointment with. Or are you a member of a union? If that doesn't help, there are high street financial advisers who are also clued up on nhs pensions but they charge a fee. If you're a member of a professional organisation, they should have advisers to help also. I hope you get this sorted out. 

This isn't one for a 'pension adviser' or a financial adviser - it needs a specialist in dealing with pension problems, and there's no need to pay. The link I've given will be by far the best starting point, not least because the NHSBSA will be all too well aware of their existence and how effective they can be in sorting out disputes (with the Pensions Ombudsman next along the way if necessary).

Any adviser/union official worth their salt will point OP in the direction of Money Helper (a rebrand which includes the Pensions Advisory Service).

PoGee

Depends on the adviser Marcon. Our staff benefits guys know the nhs pension system inside out. Both that team and unions hold regular meetings for staff considering retirement - soon to recommence at our nhs board.

clairabellx

PoGee said:

Check out your staff intranet 'staff benefits' section. There should be free pension advisers there that you can make an appointment with. Or are you a member of a union? If that doesn't help, there are high street financial advisers who are also clued up on nhs pensions but they charge a fee. If you're a member of a professional organisation, they should have advisers to help also. I hope you get this sorted out. 

Yes, I am in a Union, I moved to work for another gov agency last 14 years but have just moved TACOS back to NHS as part of a pay equalization - I didn't know I could get NHS pension advice so that is great, thanks. I have asked for Union help 

clairabellx

Marcon said:

clairabellx said:

This may be someone else's experience too? 

I paid into the NHS pension scheme from Feb 1995 but the NHSBSA claims that it only has records from my second job July 1995. This was the days of paper records and it was an old psychiatric hospital, so it is possible paperwork wasn't filed. However, my payslip states clearly that I paid into the NHS pension scheme from the February. I am not the type to request a refund as I transferred straight into another post in the July, I left my contributions in believeing that they would be honoured.

The NHSBSA is using every strategy to deny my contributions from the Feb. The reason that this matters so much, apart from being fraudulent to take contributions from my pay and not apply them to the scheme, is that I would be eligible for Mental Health Officer status (the right to retire at 55 instead of 60, which was abolished in the summer of that year. The MHO was in recognition of the type of work that we did, and I certainly did experience some challenges. I am now struggling with my health so moving the goalposts of my retirement date further away is quite distressing. 

Has anyone managed to get the NHSBSA to accept their evidence of membership of the pension scheme? 

This sounds like possible maladministration, which is a long way from fraud (but just as annoying!).

I can't answer your question (and I'm not sure it would help much if anyone else has personal experience of this, since each case will be assessed on an individual basis), but I can point you in the direction of free, expert and impartial help to get this sorted out: 

May I also suggest that you try this link and get your NI history from April 1994 on (i.e. up to now): (removed due to forum rule)

Why? Because the NHS scheme was contracted out of the State Additional Pension (was SERPS, then the State Second Pension) until contracting out was abolished a few years ago. Your NI history will show one of two things: either that you were contracted out from February 1995 on; OR that you were contracted out from July 1995 on. If the latter is the case, you'll find the words "Method of preservation: payment of Contributions Equivalent Premium" in relation to the period February-July 1995 (it'll be in a summary towards the end of the huge pile of paperwork you'll get).

What I don't know for sure is whether you/your employer from February to July 1995 would have needed to take any action to ensure you had continuous pensionable service in the NHS scheme. Hopefully someone with more knowledge of the scheme will be along to comment on that soon. I think it should have been automatic. 

Have you had any benefit statements over the years with a start date of February 1995? if not, have you queried this before now?

You are right, I guess it is maladministration - these were the days of going to an office in a little turret of the hospital and receiving a handwritten receipt when an error was made! And a few were made with my accomodation costs, which were deducted as I lived there for that period. But I was just out of uni, 21 years old at the time, I didn't understand pensions etc just knew I shold start asap. My fear is that they didn't administrate it at all, just took the money out of my pay. the Trust has been obsolete from the millenium.

I actually hadn't ever gotten a Total Rewards statement until I became unwell in 2016, and thought maybe I should trace my old pensions, in case I needed to cobble together an ill health retirement application. Even then, I hadn't realised the error straight away as I was looking at figures for pension age and not historic dates. But I will see if I have any other older documents - I have tended to keep more than most, as I say I have the payslips which stated pension deducted. I assumed this would be enough, but apparently not.

Thanks for your help with the SERPS info as well. I have requested HMRC send my employment history - but will try the link you shared too, thanks.

Marcon

clairabellx said:

Marcon said:

clairabellx said:

This may be someone else's experience too? 

I paid into the NHS pension scheme from Feb 1995 but the NHSBSA claims that it only has records from my second job July 1995. This was the days of paper records and it was an old psychiatric hospital, so it is possible paperwork wasn't filed. However, my payslip states clearly that I paid into the NHS pension scheme from the February. I am not the type to request a refund as I transferred straight into another post in the July, I left my contributions in believeing that they would be honoured.

The NHSBSA is using every strategy to deny my contributions from the Feb. The reason that this matters so much, apart from being fraudulent to take contributions from my pay and not apply them to the scheme, is that I would be eligible for Mental Health Officer status (the right to retire at 55 instead of 60, which was abolished in the summer of that year. The MHO was in recognition of the type of work that we did, and I certainly did experience some challenges. I am now struggling with my health so moving the goalposts of my retirement date further away is quite distressing. 

Has anyone managed to get the NHSBSA to accept their evidence of membership of the pension scheme? 

This sounds like possible maladministration, which is a long way from fraud (but just as annoying!).

I can't answer your question (and I'm not sure it would help much if anyone else has personal experience of this, since each case will be assessed on an individual basis), but I can point you in the direction of free, expert and impartial help to get this sorted out: 

May I also suggest that you try this link and get your NI history from April 1994 on (i.e. up to now): (removed due to forum rule)

Why? Because the NHS scheme was contracted out of the State Additional Pension (was SERPS, then the State Second Pension) until contracting out was abolished a few years ago. Your NI history will show one of two things: either that you were contracted out from February 1995 on; OR that you were contracted out from July 1995 on. If the latter is the case, you'll find the words "Method of preservation: payment of Contributions Equivalent Premium" in relation to the period February-July 1995 (it'll be in a summary towards the end of the huge pile of paperwork you'll get).

What I don't know for sure is whether you/your employer from February to July 1995 would have needed to take any action to ensure you had continuous pensionable service in the NHS scheme. Hopefully someone with more knowledge of the scheme will be along to comment on that soon. I think it should have been automatic. 

Have you had any benefit statements over the years with a start date of February 1995? if not, have you queried this before now?

You are right, I guess it is maladministration - these were the days of going to an office in a little turret of the hospital and receiving a handwritten receipt when an error was made! And a few were made with my accomodation costs, which were deducted as I lived there for that period. But I was just out of uni, 21 years old at the time, I didn't understand pensions etc just knew I shold start asap. My fear is that they didn't administrate it at all, just took the money out of my pay. the Trust has been obsolete from the millenium.

I actually hadn't ever gotten a Total Rewards statement until I became unwell in 2016, and thought maybe I should trace my old pensions, in case I needed to cobble together an ill health retirement application. Even then, I hadn't realised the error straight away as I was looking at figures for pension age and not historic dates. But I will see if I have any other older documents - I have tended to keep more than most, as I say I have the payslips which stated pension deducted. I assumed this would be enough, but apparently not.

Thanks for your help with the SERPS info as well. I have requested HMRC send my employment history - but will try the link you shared too, thanks.

The NHSBSA will have encountered any number of people who swear blind that they did or didn't do something and are then (often genuinely) dumbfounded when their recollection of events - which could have taken place decades ago - is shown to be wrong. It was very common indeed for youngsters to grab a refund of pension contributions when offered (after all, nobody aged under 25 is ever going to become a pensioner...perish the thought!). Years later, that action could come back to haunt them - particularly if, as here, the action could have massive financial implications: tens of thousands of pounds and highly likely to be in six figures.

The reason why your payslips aren't cutting it is because they only prove you made contributions to the NHS scheme at the time of your first period of employment. What they can't prove is whether or not you had a refund of contributions. Those administering the scheme are, quite correctly, going on the information available to them unless and until there is evidence that isn't correct.

You are concerned that the pension wasn't administrated at all. Your elderly payslip should show a single  'category' letter against your NI contributions - could you confirm what that letter is? 

If the NI category letter shows you were contracted out, and your NI history doesn't show you were reinstated into SERPS for the period February to July 1995, the good news is that should do the trick.