Missing NHS pension.from the year 2000.

Mr.Snowman

I was a nurse at a london hospital. I worked there for two years and I joined the NHS superannuation scheme in 1999 ish.  Fast forward to today and I am trying to locate my NHS pension. 
I contacted the NHS pension tracking system in Newcastle and they said, they have NO RECORD of me being in the scheme, even though I showed them my previous payslip, which shows my superannuation contributions, and the superannuation number and the total deductions. They also said that my pay slip is "NOT EVIDENCE", of  being in the scheme or paying into the scheme and that it was up to the NHS trust I worked for. So I can't imagine what constitutes "evidence of paying into the scheme"if not a payslip. They also pointed out, if i remember correctly,that this was before everything was "computerized".  They also said it was the hospitals responsibilty to ensure everything was payed, and records are correct. So I have written to the NHS hospital, pay departemt twice, and I have not received any replies. I have also sent another letter to the complaints department in the hospital pointing out my problem regarding my pension and I enclosed a photocopy of the pension deductions, along with my superannuation number. Again after nearly 2 months i have still not recieved any replies. Has anyone got any advice on what I should do next? 

Moonwolf

Did you work for more than exactly two years or less? 

If it was less than two years you should have received a refund of your contributions or transferred into another scheme.  You wouldn't have rights in a pension, you can't defer with less than two years.

molerat

How long exactly were you a member of the scheme ? You needed to be a member for a full 2 years to become a deferred member, any less and your contributions would have been refunded if you did not move them out.

JoeCrystal

Exactly how long have you worked with the NHS? If it is less than two years, you could easily get your refund of the contributions back once you leave the NHS

Silvertabby

If less than exactly 2 calendar years, even by just one day, then you would/should have been given the choice of either a refund of your own contributions or a transfer to your new employers pension scheme.  Does that ring any bells?
 

Marcon

Mr.Snowman said:

I was a nurse at a london hospital. I worked there for two years and I joined the NHS superannuation scheme in 1999 ish.  Fast forward to today and I am trying to locate my NHS pension. 
I contacted the NHS pension tracking system in Newcastle and they said, they have NO RECORD of me being in the scheme, even though I showed them my previous payslip, which shows my superannuation contributions, and the superannuation number and the total deductions. They also said that my pay slip is "NOT EVIDENCE", of  being in the scheme or paying into the scheme and that it was up to the NHS trust I worked for. So I can't imagine what constitutes "evidence of paying into the scheme"if not a payslip. They also pointed out, if i remember correctly,that this was before everything was "computerized".  They also said it was the hospitals responsibilty to ensure everything was payed, and records are correct. So I have written to the NHS hospital, pay departemt twice, and I have not received any replies. I have also sent another letter to the complaints department in the hospital pointing out my problem regarding my pension and I enclosed a photocopy of the pension deductions, along with my superannuation number. Again after nearly 2 months i have still not recieved any replies. Has anyone got any advice on what I should do next? 

Yes. Try this (ask for the years 1997 to 2002 to make absolutely sure your period of service with the NHS is covered): https://www.tax.service.gov.uk/shortforms/form/DPU_SAR_NI?_ga=2.230026460.1544670040.1621021753-1315656139.1609178084

If you have any benefits in the NHS scheme, it will show up. The NHS scheme was contracted out of SERPS/the state second pension, and if you look towards the back of the pile of paperwork you will receive in due course, you will see something which either:

• confirms the 'method of preservation: Reference Scheme Test' (in which case you definitely have a pension with the NHS scheme)

OR

• words to the effect of 'CEP [Contribuitons Equivalent Premium] paid' (in which case you were given a refund of your own contributions, and the scheme paid a premium to reinstate you into the State Additional Pension for your period of membership.

Whole thread (a long read, I'm afraid!): https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6267734/is-there-a-really-detailed-online-method-to-check-nics/p1 and see my post of 3 June 2021.

Mr.Snowman

Thank you everyone for your advice. That is a relevant point I had not considered. Although i would wonder why the NHS service or the hospital has no history of this, or in the case of the hospital hasn't even bothered to reply.
I will check the tax system. Once again thanks again. Your advice was much more useful.

Mr.Snowman

So this is an update. Any adice would be very welcome.

I contacted the hospital directly and they put me through to the division that now deals with the NHS pension. Anyway, I gave them all the details, NHS number, NI number, dates, and hospital. They said they have no records, because it was such a long time ago. So that was a dead end. They recommended i contact personel at the hospital.
So i called personnel, ( no letters this time as I never got a reply). I gave them the same info. NHS Number, NI number and dates i was employed there and I also sent them a pay slip confirming my Superannuation payments, and a copy from the tax office of my employment dates. 
They checked their system and they said. They don't have me on the system, and they would need to pass this up to management.
It has now been a few weeks, and they have not even replied. Except from the initial contact confirming my initial query.

I have contacted them again via  email, with the payslip, and dates confirming my employment dates.

So now I am wondering what should be my next step.

 If they say a pay slip showing deduction isn't proof, what should i do? Any suggestions?
 To honest, I'm not sure how your supposed to prove something, if I didn't work in accounts and the only proof I ever had was my pay statement. 
If the hospital says they don't have me on the system, should they explain why deductions were taken? Where did the money go as per the payslip.

Should i take this to the pension ombudsman?

Once again. Thank you for your advice.

Flugelhorn

agree this is really tricky - I had a year missing (2001) - looked like someone (? NHSBSA ? employer had put a leaving date with Jan 2001 rather than Jan 2002 - I knew where I was working then, we all remember where we were on Sept 11. 

I found a payslip, P60 for the April and my P45 when I left the following January - I sent them copies and NHSBSA just amended the info they had to include the year on my pension statement ... they never said anything but I did wonder if they went back and noted that they had got the info wrong.  

GrubbyGirl_2

I had a dispute with NHSBSA and did a full Subject Access Request and got everything from them right back to the day I started paying superannuation in 1978 and all emails sent between themselves and others,  I was astounded how much I got but it included every payment I made for 42 years.  You can then make a formal complaint if you get no joy.  I eventually went to the pensions ombudsman who awarded me £3,000 compensation

Silvertabby

Mr.Snowman said:

So this is an update. Any adice would be very welcome.

I contacted the hospital directly and they put me through to the division that now deals with the NHS pension. Anyway, I gave them all the details, NHS number, NI number, dates, and hospital. They said they have no records, because it was such a long time ago. So that was a dead end. They recommended i contact personel at the hospital.
So i called personnel, ( no letters this time as I never got a reply). I gave them the same info. NHS Number, NI number and dates i was employed there and I also sent them a pay slip confirming my Superannuation payments, and a copy from the tax office of my employment dates. 
They checked their system and they said. They don't have me on the system, and they would need to pass this up to management.
It has now been a few weeks, and they have not even replied. Except from the initial contact confirming my initial query.

I have contacted them again via  email, with the payslip, and dates confirming my employment dates.

So now I am wondering what should be my next step.

 If they say a pay slip showing deduction isn't proof, what should i do? Any suggestions?
 To honest, I'm not sure how your supposed to prove something, if I didn't work in accounts and the only proof I ever had was my pay statement. 
If the hospital says they don't have me on the system, should they explain why deductions were taken? Where did the money go as per the payslip.

Should i take this to the pension ombudsman?

Once again. Thank you for your advice.

Old payslips aren't proof that you have actual pension benefits - just that you paid £X amount into the scheme on X dates.  They can't prove that you didn't later take a refund or transfer to another scheme.

Can you confirm that you left with an absolute minimum of 2 calendar years of pension fund membership?