Deleted

QrizB

For the benefit of anyone new reading this thread in the future:

• OP opted out of auto enrollment (exactly why remains a mystery and is unlikely to ever be known)
• OP's employer received the opt-out letter but nevertheless made the salary deductions and payments to the pension co anyway
• OP didn't notice the deductions from their pay for two years, or miss the money
  
• OP has contacted pension co (but not employer?)
• Pension co has offered a refund of contributions paid

Everyone thinks OP would be better off keeping the payments (plus employer's contributions) in the scheme and remaining enrolled (this is the Pensions board, after all).

sammyjammy

QrizB said:

For the benefit of anyone new reading this thread in the future:

• OP opted out of auto enrollment (exactly why remains a mystery and is unlikely to ever be known)
• OP's employer received the opt-out letter but nevertheless made the salary deductions and payments to the pension co anyway
• OP didn't notice the deductions from their pay for two years, or miss the money
  
• OP has contacted pension co (but not employer?)
• Pension co has offered a refund of contributions paid

Everyone thinks OP would be better off keeping the payments (plus employer's contributions) in the scheme and remaining enrolled (this is the Pensions board, after all).

You missed a bit!  The OP posted as they were looking for compensation for not getting a timely refund.

Alice_Holt

QrizB said:

For the benefit of anyone new reading this thread in the future:

• OP opted out of auto enrollment (exactly why remains a mystery and is unlikely to ever be known)
• OP's employer received the opt-out letter but nevertheless made the salary deductions and payments to the pension co anyway
• OP didn't notice the deductions from their pay for two years, or miss the money
  
• OP has contacted pension co (but not employer?)
• Pension co has offered a refund of contributions paid

Everyone thinks OP would be better off keeping the payments (plus employer's contributions) in the scheme and remaining enrolled (this is the Pensions board, after all).

        Thanks.

         It puzzles me why the OP decided to delete her opening post, rather than engage with the knowledgeable forumites who have given her excellent advice.

        

dunstonh

Alice_Holt said:

QrizB said:

For the benefit of anyone new reading this thread in the future:

• OP opted out of auto enrollment (exactly why remains a mystery and is unlikely to ever be known)
• OP's employer received the opt-out letter but nevertheless made the salary deductions and payments to the pension co anyway
• OP didn't notice the deductions from their pay for two years, or miss the money
  
• OP has contacted pension co (but not employer?)
• Pension co has offered a refund of contributions paid

Everyone thinks OP would be better off keeping the payments (plus employer's contributions) in the scheme and remaining enrolled (this is the Pensions board, after all).

        Thanks.

         It puzzles me why the OP decided to delete her opening post, rather than engage with the knowledgeable forumites who have given her excellent advice.

        

You cannot help some people.  You can try but ultimately, some prefer to remain ignorant.  Such a shame but that is the way it is.

Pablo7474

Maybe consider an accident that wasn’t your fault or PPI for compensation 😂

McKneff

She is probably embarrasses at being so foolish, and being seen to be doing so

jamesd

QrizB said:

Everyone thinks OP would be better off keeping the payments (plus employer's contributions) in the scheme and remaining enrolled (this is the Pensions board, after all).

Not necessarily. High debt costs, risk of losing a home or facing prison for not paying a fine could all be excellent reasons for wanting the money.

Silvertabby

jamesd said:

QrizB said:

Everyone thinks OP would be better off keeping the payments (plus employer's contributions) in the scheme and remaining enrolled (this is the Pensions board, after all).

Not necessarily. High debt costs, risk of losing a home or facing prison for not paying a fine could all be excellent reasons for wanting the money.

But in this case OP didn't notice that she was still paying pension contributions until 2 years later....

german_keeper

A couple of years ago when the auto enrollment contributions went up by 2% my wife coincidentally got a 2% pay rise. She arrived home one day and announced that she was leaving the pension scheme. Apparently a woman at work, one of those know everything about everything types, had convinced people that the 2% rise in pension conts was a cunning plan by the company to avoid paying the pay rise, and to scupper it they should all leave the pension scheme. I explained the true position and fortunately she understood. However despite her explaining this to her colleagues some of them still left the scheme. Quite frightening really.  

Thrugelmir

QrizB said:

For the benefit of anyone new reading this thread in the future:

• OP opted out of auto enrollment (exactly why remains a mystery and is unlikely to ever be known)
• OP's employer received the opt-out letter but nevertheless made the salary deductions and payments to the pension co anyway
• OP didn't notice the deductions from their pay for two years, or miss the money
  
• OP has contacted pension co (but not employer?)
• Pension co has offered a refund of contributions paid

Everyone thinks OP would be better off keeping the payments (plus employer's contributions) in the scheme and remaining enrolled (this is the Pensions board, after all).

I was under the impression that the opt out request had been sent to the pension provider. Which suggested that the employer was therefore unware.