Lost Pensions

Martin_No_2

In the seventies I was employed by Hill Samuel Life Assurance and in the eighties I worked for American Life Insurance (ALICO). In both cases I was enrolled into their non-contributory  staff pension Schemes but in neither case can I now find who administers this scheme.

Companies house have directed me to the FCA who in turn direct me to Pensions Tracker. They refer me to Companies House. For American life I managed to track down the company who took over their investment portfolio but they state they do not administer the staff pension scheme.

Any advice would be very greatly accepted

xylophone

When exactly were you working for these companies?

Was it after 1978 and if so, were the schemes contracted out of SERPS?

Have you yet reached State Pension Age?

If not, have you obtained a State Pension Forecast?

https://www.gov.uk/check-state-pension



Hill Samuel Life Assurance merged with Abbey Life and Abbey Life was acquired by Phoenix Group some years back.

It is just possible that you might find some information here

https://www.thephoenixgroup.com/site-services/abbey-life-staff-pensions-scheme

They refer me to Companies House. For American life I managed to track down the company who took over their investment portfolio 

But the Staff Pension Scheme would not be directly connected with the investment portfolio?

https://www.metlife.com/about-us/newsroom/2010/november/metlife-completes-acquisition-of-american-life-insurance-company/

Have you tried contacting MetLife which took over Alico?

https://www.metlife.co.uk/about-us/metlife-in-the-uk/#:~:text=MetLife Europe is registered in,through financial advisers and intermediaries.

And you might get some information about pension schemes to which you belonged by submitting this

https://www.tax.service.gov.uk/shortforms/form/DPU_SAR_NI

Marcon

Martin_No_2 said:

In the seventies I was employed by Hill Samuel Life Assurance and in the eighties I worked for American Life Insurance (ALICO). In both cases I was enrolled into their non-contributory  staff pension Schemes but in neither case can I now find who administers this scheme.

Companies house have directed me to the FCA who in turn direct me to Pensions Tracker. They refer me to Companies House. For American life I managed to track down the company who took over their investment portfolio but they state they do not administer the staff pension scheme.

Any advice would be very greatly accepted

The fact you were enrolled sadly doesn't necessarily mean you have any benefits with these companies, although you might, so it's worth checking.

Could you be more precise about the dates you were with each company and also give your year of birth, please? Both are key to establishing whether you had a statutory right to a 'deferred' pension.

Martin_No_2

Hi; thanks for the response.

I left Hill Samuel Life in January 1979. I left American Life in 1988 but only after about one year's service. I believe American Life would certainly have been contracted out although I cant speak for Hill Samuel Life.

I reach state Pensionable age in April 2023 hence why I'm trying to ascertain all the bits and pieces of pensions I have scattered around.

Fortunately these are not the only pension provisions I have Although the present increase in cost of living forecasts have made me consider whether I should delay retiring for a year to try and build up the fund that bit more.

molerat

No harm in searching but it is unlikely there is any entitlement to a pension from either employment.  The current preserved pension entitlements didn't start until April 1988, before then you needed 5 years service and 2 years after.  Financial services seemed particularly keen in enforcing the rules to avoid paying out.

Marcon

Martin_No_2 said:

Hi; thanks for the response.

I left Hill Samuel Life in January 1979. `

To have a statutory right to a deferred pension you would need to have been at least age 26 and have at least five years of pension scheme membership. Just being an employee for five years or more wouldn't have been enough - there could have been a minimum age for joining the pension scheme, or a 'waiting period' before you could join.

Martin_No_2 said:

I left American Life in 1988 but only after about one year's service. I believe American Life would certainly have been contracted out although I cant speak for Hill Samuel Life.

If you left after 5.4.88, you would need two years of pension scheme membership (until then it was still five years), so unlikely you have a deferred pension.

In both cases, the rules of the scheme could have given you a right to a deferred with a shorter period of membership, which is why it's worth checking. Try this route and see what you get back: https://www.tax.service.gov.uk/shortforms/form/DPU_SAR_NI?_ga=2.230026460.1544670040.1621021753-1315656139.1609178084