Sheffield Training and Enterprise Council - missing pension

Georgie1410

I think the PO asked me to complain so they can find out if there was a pension that wasnt transferred. And also complain to Robson Salustro as they are unable to give me any info about the TEC pension. Maybe I just wasnt in the pension. I just dont remember ever having a conversation with HR about the pension. I wish Id kept payslips - but there you go - in hindsight:(

Marcon

Georgie1410 said:

I think the PO asked me to complain so they can find out if there was a pension that wasnt transferred. And also complain to Robson Salustro as they are unable to give me any info about the TEC pension. Maybe I just wasnt in the pension. I just dont remember ever having a conversation with HR about the pension. I wish Id kept payslips - but there you go - in hindsight:(

Complaining to the CS, especially so long after the event, wouldn't necessarily uncover a pension which hadn't been transferred, because any issues could have arisen with the ceding (paying) scheme.

It's hard to see where a complaint could go if CS are adamant that they didn't receive a transfer payment for you. Who are they supposed to ask, when the Sheffield TEC scheme will have been long wound up, and Robson Salustro McGladrey Limited was dissolved in 2016: https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/02797637. RSM were appointed by the Welsh Government to wind up at least one of the Welsh TECs when TECs were abolished - see https://www.pensions-ombudsman.org.uk/decision/2007/p00593/south-glamorgan-tec-pension-scheme-p00593, although the determination itself won't help you, I'm afraid. I've included the link just to confirm RSM's role and the fact that some of the TEC schemes were definitely money purchase arrangements/not contracted out.

It's worth waiting to see what your SAR flags up, but if the scheme was not contracted out (and you've already said HMRC have confirmed it wasn't), there will be nothing to indicate if you were a member. 

One further thought - someone refers to you above as 'she'. Have you changed your name at any point (whether you're male or female!) and if so, have you asked for your records to be checked under any and all names you've had? NI numbers may be unique identifiers, but they can also be incorrectly entered on systems, as can dates of birth.

You've not mentioned at any point that you remember receiving a 'welcome' pension joining pack, annual benefit statements or anything else you'd expect a scheme member to receive. That unhappily lends credence to the likelihood that either you never joined the scheme, or you joined and opted out again within a fairly short period, in which case you would have received a refund of personal contributions (minus tax) - likely to be a modest amount which could well not have stuck in your mind at all. If it was non-contributory you'd have received nothing (and keeping payslips wouldn't have helped, but I appreciate that's not much of a crumb of comfort).

Georgie1410

Thanks for the comprehensive reply, it means a lot. I never changed my name, or address. If I received anything related to the pension - I honestly dont think I would remember it. Life was very different then! If Im not in the pension I will find out soon enough. I just thought the CS would be able to say - no - there was transfers but you were not one of them. I may call them again next week. Thanks again.

Georgie1410

I recieved the SARS but it doesnt really give me any information regarding pensions 
Just source of income, earnings and tax and ni paid. This is the same for the Learning and Skills Council where I definitely paid into a pension. So it doesnt look like a SARS is that helpful in that respect?

I will just have to presume I didnt pay into a pension because I just keep reaching a dead end.

Riddles2310

Likewise I was a member of the scheme and fortunately have a copy of my Benefit Statement for 1996. I note that the administrators are shown as Robsons (Leeds) on Companies House but the firm was dissolved in 2016. Grant Thornton are shown as officers and assume that they carried out the closure of the company? Consequently I've written today to GT asking them for advice on how to proceed with a claim against my pension. The Benefit Statement shows that the scheme paid into the Equitable Life Assurance Society and so that might be another avenue to pursue - don't know whether others have previously explored these routes?