RANK MONEY PURCHASE PENSION SCHEME

xylophone

https://www.zurich.co.uk/support/gone-aways/finding-lost-zurich-policy

johnjohn7899

pretty sure i've been to zurich but can't hurt re-visiting, thanks

Marcon

johnjohn7899 said:

Just received latest email from Royal London saying they have exhausted all avenues and cannot help me. This is despite me having documented evidence that in 1999 Abbey administered this pension. Shocking.

I suggested in an earlier post that you contacted MoneyHelper: https://www.moneyhelper.org.uk/en/pensions-and-retirement/pension-problems

Could I make that suggestion again - but not until you've made a request for a SAR as previously suggested (https://www.tax.service.gov.uk/shortforms/form/DPU_SAR_NI?_ga=2.230026460.1544670040.1621021753-1315656139.1609178084) and received a response? It won't help if the scheme was not contracted out of the State Additional Pension, but could be useful if it was contracted out. Either way, it's worth closing off that avenue as early as possible, and you want to avoid MH coming back and saying 'wait until you've heard'. I appreciate you've built up a head of steam and just want to get on with it, but I think you need to accept this probably isn't going to fund a summer holiday this year!

I'd then email MH on pensions.enquiries@moneyhelper.org.uk  so that you can attach copies of the relevant documents - you can't do that using their enquiry form. Keep your covering email as short, factual, unemotional and clear as you can - remember, they aren't familiar with your complaint, nor are they responsible for the problems you are experiencing. There is nothing to stop you screenshotting this thread/the relevant page on LInkedIn and attaching those to your email, to demonstrate that you have made strenuous efforts to track down the pension.

Send the email as coming from your wife to avoid any sort of data protection issues. The point you need to make especially clearly is that you are alleging maladministration against those responsible for the administration of the scheme and would like to make a formal complaint, but are having difficulty in identifying the relevant parties; and this in turn makes it hard to complain to the Pensions Ombudsman because you  are not sure who to cite.

@dav1D1 - you may wish to do the same. Don't try a joint email with @johnjohn7899 or you'll run MH into data protection issues when they reply.

xylophone

It won't help if the scheme was not contracted out of the State Additional Pension,

The OP said

Xylophone, thanks for your research but I think this will only tell me that my wife was contracted out (she was = SERPS), and it will tell me the name of the pension back in 1998? 

If the SAR throws up contracting out to 1997 (when she left Strand Lighting), then she should have a GMP.

It would helpful if the OP would indicate if his wife was a member of any contracted out scheme before she joined Strand or after she left Strand.

If not, any COPE on her State Pension Forecast could relate only to membership of the Strand Scheme and she definitely has a GMP somewhere?

Marcon

xylophone said:

It won't help if the scheme was not contracted out of the State Additional Pension,

The OP said

Xylophone, thanks for your research but I think this will only tell me that my wife was contracted out (she was = SERPS), and it will tell me the name of the pension back in 1998? 

If the SAR throws up contracting out to 1997 (when she left Strand Lighting), then she should have a GMP.

It would helpful if the OP would indicate if his wife was a member of any contracted out scheme before she joined Strand or after she left Strand.

If not, any COPE on her State Pension Forecast could relate only to membership of the Strand Scheme and she definitely has a GMP somewhere?

Doesn't have to be a GMP. The SAR is worthwhile in case(!) it throws up anything useful.

xylophone

Doesn't have to be a GMP. 

True - the  Strand (Rank?)scheme might have been the  type which just conferred "protected rights".

If it was a COMB though, there should be a GMP?

johnjohn7899

OK, getting a little confused with the anachronisms but have made SAR request and contacted money helper as you have all been so helpful.
I am going to lodge complaint with Royal London as want evidence when they transferred the scheme they held in 1999.

johnjohn7899

would you believe i went to wife's old address to see if any annual statements being received, woman said she received letter last week from 'pension' people and returned to sender but can't remember who.
Are we destined not to see this pension?🤦‍♂️ 

Marcon

johnjohn7899 said:

would you believe i went to wife's old address to see if any annual statements being received, woman said she received letter last week from 'pension' people and returned to sender but can't remember who.
Are we destined not to see this pension?🤦‍♂️ 

Get your wife's mail redirected for the next year in the hope the provider might have another go: https://www.royalmail.com/personal/receiving-mail/redirection

johnjohn7899

not sure you can back date 25 years for that service 😊 bizzarely the woman who lives at wife's old address, her sister lives 4 doors away from us so she will pass any further letters on. 

Will keep you all updated as you've been so helpful