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What is happening with Pensions Ombudsman?

Hi.

I was told I was suitable to apply a pension grievance to the Ombudsman's Early Resolution Service (ERS) about 3 months back.  Without going into the dispute (as not particularly relevant to the thread), I thought this was a waste of time to be honest as the Employer had made it clear they were unable to resolve the issue (non-payment of contributions).  Anyway, as a sign of good faith on my part I referred to the ERS.  This was about 11 weeks ago.  I chased the Ombudsman about 3 weeks ago and got an automated bounceback referring to the Data incident (05/06 on their News page).  I still have not had a personal response to my chase and this is now nearly 5 weeks since the Data issue, so surely that is still not relevant?  They don't have live chat active, their Central Support email (for follow-up) issued the bounceback and their phone lines are closed (even during times website claims they are open).

Has anyone had any recent dealings/ success in contacting the Ombudsman?
To be honest I don't have a ton of faith waiting given it took 2 months to decide I could refer to the ERS and just been twisting in the wind since mid-April.
They don't seem to offer any specific SLAs.

Comments

  • nossa_2
    nossa_2 Posts: 52 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    I am in same boat- contacted pension ombudsman on 26th April, got an email on 2nd May telling me to complete an IDRP! Phoned them on 4th May was lectured to (literally) for 35mins, told they couldn't even look at my complaint until I completed an IDRP. I attempted to complete an IDRP but within 2 seconds of reading it was clear this was incorrect (not a workplace pension) went on to their chat and was told exactly the same thing, ignoring the cut and paste from their own website saying the opposite. I made a complaint and got an unreserved apology on 30th May and promised I would not suffer from the delay they had caused. 16th June got email saying they had suffered cyber attack - nothing since despite chasing via email. The contact I have had with them makes me wonder if I was actually talking to scammers, though I thought scammers were clever!
  • Marcon
    Marcon Posts: 12,975 Forumite
    Eighth Anniversary 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    nossa_2 said:
    I am in same boat- contacted pension ombudsman on 26th April, got an email on 2nd May telling me to complete an IDRP! Phoned them on 4th May was lectured to (literally) for 35mins, told they couldn't even look at my complaint until I completed an IDRP. I attempted to complete an IDRP but within 2 seconds of reading it was clear this was incorrect (not a workplace pension) went on to their chat and was told exactly the same thing, ignoring the cut and paste from their own website saying the opposite. I made a complaint and got an unreserved apology on 30th May and promised I would not suffer from the delay they had caused. 16th June got email saying they had suffered cyber attack - nothing since despite chasing via email. The contact I have had with them makes me wonder if I was actually talking to scammers, though I thought scammers were clever!
    How very frustrating for you.

    For the benefit of others using this site, the Internal Dispute Resolution Procedure does apply to workplace pensions IF they are either trust based and have trustees, or a statutory scheme such as the NHS pension scheme.

    If it's a personal pension of some description (including a group personal pension), then the route to go is the pension provider's complaints process if the complaint is about the scheme's operation; or your employer if it relates to something you think the employer is getting wrong.
    Googling on your question might have been both quicker and easier, if you're only after simple facts rather than opinions!  
  • dealyboy
    dealyboy Posts: 1,889 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    I think The Pensions Ombudsman service is not fit for purpose at the moment.

    My case refers to underpaid and not paid contributions to my workplace pension by my private sector employer when and after I retired in October 2020.

    My TPO case was accepted in July 2021 and was referred to the Early Resolution Team in November 2021. A caseworker was allocated in April 2022 and following a series of failures to make any progress with the case and to provide promised updates the case was taken over by a casework support manager in November 2022. They provided a copy of an e-mail sent to the employer and promised an update when the ex-employer responded. That was the last I heard from them.
  • Jamezon
    Jamezon Posts: 19 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10 Posts Combo Breaker
    dealyboy said:
    That was the last I heard from them.
    That is insane! Did you ever follow it up more recently?
  • Jamezon
    Jamezon Posts: 19 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10 Posts Combo Breaker
    I received an email on 30/07, over 3 months after I completed the form of authority for the ERS.  The jist of the email is that they are currently taking EIGHT MONTHS to allocate a case worker to ERS cases (and God knows how long to close it out).  I am pretty unhappy- I wouldn't have wasted my time with the 'Early' Resolution Service had they been upfront with the likely timescales, not least as I believe ERS will kick it onto the Ombudsman proper due to the circumstances.

    Two follow-up questions:
    1) Is it worth complaining and/or will it prejudice my case?  And to whom would I complain?

    2) Is there anything else I can do except sit and wait?

    Thanks.
  • Marcon
    Marcon Posts: 12,975 Forumite
    Eighth Anniversary 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    Jamezon said:
    I received an email on 30/07, over 3 months after I completed the form of authority for the ERS.  The jist of the email is that they are currently taking EIGHT MONTHS to allocate a case worker to ERS cases (and God knows how long to close it out).  I am pretty unhappy- I wouldn't have wasted my time with the 'Early' Resolution Service had they been upfront with the likely timescales, not least as I believe ERS will kick it onto the Ombudsman proper due to the circumstances.

    Two follow-up questions:
    1) Is it worth complaining and/or will it prejudice my case?  And to whom would I complain?

    2) Is there anything else I can do except sit and wait?

    Thanks.
    What are you hoping for if you do complain? You're unlikely to achieve anything except an apology and a reference to the cyber attach resulting in very long waiting lists.
    Googling on your question might have been both quicker and easier, if you're only after simple facts rather than opinions!  
  • dealyboy
    dealyboy Posts: 1,889 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    @Jamezon said:
    dealyboy said:
    That was the last I heard from them.
    That is insane! Did you ever follow it up more recently?
    No. I chased it a few times in 2022 due to their not fulfilling their promises e.g. 6-week updates.

    The Casework Support Manager took up the cudgel in November 2022. He agreed with my case and asked the company to provide evidence of their (wrong) assertions and to make contributions to my now closed pension scheme, plus some compensation. They were given two weeks to provide a full response. I have heard nothing further.

    I think it's time to 'open' this again with the TPO. Although It's not a huge amount of money it's the principle.

    The ex. employer, a major UK retailer employing tens of thousands of people, failed to correctly make workplace pension contributions during furlough, for the second part of my final pay, and for several subsequent corrections to holiday pay*.

    *I took the employer to the employment tribunal service because they systemically failed to comply with the regulations on holiday pay.
  • Marcon
    Marcon Posts: 12,975 Forumite
    Eighth Anniversary 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    dealyboy said:
    @Jamezon said:
    dealyboy said:
    That was the last I heard from them.
    That is insane! Did you ever follow it up more recently?
    No. I chased it a few times in 2022 due to their not fulfilling their promises e.g. 6-week updates.

    The Casework Support Manager took up the cudgel in November 2022. He agreed with my case and asked the company to provide evidence of their (wrong) assertions and to make contributions to my now closed pension scheme, plus some compensation. They were given two weeks to provide a full response. I have heard nothing further.

    I think it's time to 'open' this again with the TPO. Although It's not a huge amount of money it's the principle.

    The ex. employer, a major UK retailer employing tens of thousands of people, failed to correctly make workplace pension contributions during furlough, for the second part of my final pay, and for several subsequent corrections to holiday pay*.

    *I took the employer to the employment tribunal service because they systemically failed to comply with the regulations on holiday pay.
    If the principle is important enough to you to pursue, why leave it 9 months without chasing? I hope you get a fulsome apology as well as your cash!
    Googling on your question might have been both quicker and easier, if you're only after simple facts rather than opinions!  
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