Merchant Navy Pension

AngelinaBallerina

Hubby served in the Merchant Navy for 5 years.  The years were 1974 to 1979. Years ago i did write to see if he was due a pension and was fobbed off them saying they have no record.  I seem to remember them saying he wasn't an officer but he was!  This has bugged me for years.  Anyone know where i can get a proper line into the system and ask the same question but with a more accurate answer.  He also did time in the Falklands, being conscripted in, and was on the The Sheffield, which was the first ship to go down.  He was lucky in that he was in the engine room - others were not so lucky.  Many thanks to those who have spent the time to read this.

Ayr_Rage

The Merchant Navy is not an employer in itself.

Who employed him ?

That's who you need to contact.

I was in the Merchant Navy for 5 years too, employed by BP, their pension scheme was entirely paid for by the company but even so when I moved to my next employer there was a transfer value that bought me 4 years 117 days in my new scheme.

There was no conscription during the Falklands conflict.

molerat

I can find 2 merchant navy pension schemes, officers and ratings

https://mnrpf.co.uk/index.php

https://www.mnopf.co.uk/tracing_a_pension.html

Have you tried both ?

Precisely how long was he in the merchant navy and how long over age 18, very important for pensions from that long ago, if he had less than 5 years 18+ service he may well not have any pension.

glennevis

My dad was in the Merchant Navy all his life. I seem to recall he was sort of freelance and would sign up with a different ship each trip, so had many employers over the years. But he was always in the MNOPF (Mercant Navy Officers' Pension Fund) whichever ship he signed up for.

AngelinaBallerina

Ayr_Rage said:

The Merchant Navy is not an employer in itself.

Who employed him ?

That's who you need to contact.

I was in the Merchant Navy for 5 years too, employed by BP, their pension scheme was entirely paid for by the company but even so when I moved to my next employer there was a transfer value that bought me 4 years 117 days in my new scheme.

There was no conscription during the Falklands conflict.

He came out of the Merchant Navy and had the little brown envelope arrive telling him he was going to The Falklands.  He thought he was off to Scotland!   Many thanks for your reply most helpful

Thumbs_Up

AngelinaBallerina said:

Hubby served in the Merchant Navy for 5 years.  The years were 1974 to 1979. Years ago i did write to see if he was due a pension and was fobbed off them saying they have no record.  I seem to remember them saying he wasn't an officer but he was!  This has bugged me for years.  Anyone know where i can get a proper line into the system and ask the same question but with a more accurate answer.  He also did time in the Falklands, being conscripted in, and was on the The Sheffield, which was the first ship to go down.  He was lucky in that he was in the engine room - others were not so lucky.  Many thanks to those who have spent the time to read this.

Can’t help with the pension inquiry but you say they are disputing he was an officer. Maybe, just maybe he was a engine room artificer (out dated title)  more likely a chief petty officer, strictly speaking this isn’t a officer rank.

I personally won’t say he was lucky working in the engine room (below the waterline) on HMS Sheffield*. He would have to remain at his post to keep the machinery running to keep the lights on and water pumps working!

I walked the decks of HMS Sheffield a year before she was sent to the South Atlantic (as a civilian).

Silvertabby

QrizB said:

AngelinaBallerina said:

Ayr_Rage said:

The Merchant Navy is not an employer in itself.
...
There was no conscription during the Falklands conflict.

He came out of the Merchant Navy and had the little brown envelope arrive telling him he was going to The Falklands.  He thought he was off to Scotland!   Many thanks for your reply most helpful

Are you sure he was in the Merchant Navy?

Every so often you hear of a husband with a job that takes him away from home for long periods, and it turns out he's actually got a mistress / second family squirrelled away somewhere!

Are you sure that he was in the Merchant Navy and not the Royal Navy?  A period of reserve service after his 1979 discharge would explain that 'little brown envelope' and his recall to active duty.

If so, then the people to ask would be the Armed Forces Pension bods, not the Merchant Navy pension scheme.

westv

Silvertabby said:

QrizB said:

AngelinaBallerina said:

Ayr_Rage said:

The Merchant Navy is not an employer in itself.
...
There was no conscription during the Falklands conflict.

He came out of the Merchant Navy and had the little brown envelope arrive telling him he was going to The Falklands.  He thought he was off to Scotland!   Many thanks for your reply most helpful

Are you sure he was in the Merchant Navy?

Every so often you hear of a husband with a job that takes him away from home for long periods, and it turns out he's actually got a mistress / second family squirrelled away somewhere!

Are you sure that he was in the Merchant Navy and not the Royal Navy?  A period of reserve service after his 1979 discharge would explain that 'little brown envelope' and his recall to active duty.

If so, then the people to ask would be the Armed Forces Pension bods, not the Merchant Navy pension scheme.

That would make more sense as HMS Sheffield was a Royal Naval ship.

Andy_L

Silvertabby said:

QrizB said:

AngelinaBallerina said:

Ayr_Rage said:

The Merchant Navy is not an employer in itself.
...
There was no conscription during the Falklands conflict.

He came out of the Merchant Navy and had the little brown envelope arrive telling him he was going to The Falklands.  He thought he was off to Scotland!   Many thanks for your reply most helpful

Are you sure he was in the Merchant Navy?

Every so often you hear of a husband with a job that takes him away from home for long periods, and it turns out he's actually got a mistress / second family squirrelled away somewhere!

Are you sure that he was in the Merchant Navy and not the Royal Navy?  A period of reserve service after his 1979 discharge would explain that 'little brown envelope' and his recall to active duty.

If so, then the people to ask would be the Armed Forces Pension bods, not the Merchant Navy pension scheme.

Or the Royal Fleet Auxiliary who are civilians who crew the Navy's support ships like tankers & stores ships

AngelinaBallerina

Silvertabby said:

QrizB said:

AngelinaBallerina said:

Ayr_Rage said:

The Merchant Navy is not an employer in itself.
...
There was no conscription during the Falklands conflict.

He came out of the Merchant Navy and had the little brown envelope arrive telling him he was going to The Falklands.  He thought he was off to Scotland!   Many thanks for your reply most helpful

Are you sure he was in the Merchant Navy?

Every so often you hear of a husband with a job that takes him away from home for long periods, and it turns out he's actually got a mistress / second family squirrelled away somewhere!

Are you sure that he was in the Merchant Navy and not the Royal Navy?  A period of reserve service after his 1979 discharge would explain that 'little brown envelope' and his recall to active duty.

If so, then the people to ask would be the Armed Forces Pension bods, not the Merchant Navy pension scheme.

This was before my time but i do have paperwork to show he was in the Merchant Navy.  Being discharged from that and then he was recalled back for the Falklands, which as said was a different situation entirely.

Silvertabby

AngelinaBallerina said:

Silvertabby said:

QrizB said:

AngelinaBallerina said:

Ayr_Rage said:

The Merchant Navy is not an employer in itself.
...
There was no conscription during the Falklands conflict.

He came out of the Merchant Navy and had the little brown envelope arrive telling him he was going to The Falklands.  He thought he was off to Scotland!   Many thanks for your reply most helpful

Are you sure he was in the Merchant Navy?

Every so often you hear of a husband with a job that takes him away from home for long periods, and it turns out he's actually got a mistress / second family squirrelled away somewhere!

Are you sure that he was in the Merchant Navy and not the Royal Navy?  A period of reserve service after his 1979 discharge would explain that 'little brown envelope' and his recall to active duty.

If so, then the people to ask would be the Armed Forces Pension bods, not the Merchant Navy pension scheme.

This was before my time but i do have paperwork to show he was in the Merchant Navy.  Being discharged from that and then he was recalled back for the Falklands, which as said was a different situation entirely.

Then we are back to his actual length of pensionable service.  Pre 1988 he would have needed an absolute minimum of 5 years from age 18 - does he have that, or is your '5 years' the nearest round figure?

The 5 year vesting period applied to all public sector and most private sector pensions back then, it wasn't just specific to the Merchant Navy.