Help with "Duplicate" NEST Pension please!

Jue_xx

Please help, I am tearing my hair out with NEST at the moment, they are being so unhelpful!

I joined a new employer recently, and they enrolled me in a NEST pension.  When I logged in for the first time I noticed that they had set it up as Firstname Middle Name, Firstname Middle Name, so my surname is not on the account. 

I phoned them and they asked me to send in ID to get it changed, so I sent them my passport.  I then received a message saying that they couldn't change the name on my account as it didn't match the name on my passport!  Duh!  They asked for a second form of ID, so I sent them my marriage certificate.  

I then received another message saying they couldn't change my name because my details matched those on another account.  I have been through several employers over the years and carefully keep a separate folder in my filing cabinet for each company pension, and none of them are NEST and I don't recall ever enrolling in NEST.  I sent through the Confirming Your Account form that they asked for, including name, address, NI number etc., and because I couldn't state the name of the employer who set up the account because I didn't know I had one,  they won't change it or merge the two.  They won't give me any details as to what date the old account was set up either, for "security reasons".

So how do I track down whether there is indeed another NEST pension in my name?

xylophone

I'd suggest that you make a formal complaint in writing setting out all the facts.


https://www.nestpensions.org.uk/schemeweb/nest/contact-us/complaints.html

Dealing with your complaint
Please provide as much detail as possible including:

• your Nest ID
• a description and the timing of any issues
• the impacts you experienced and if possible any copies, screenshots or evidence you may have

If you have any evidence you'd like to provide to Nest, these can be sent as attachments to a message from your secure online mailbox. We suggest you note your complaint reference number in the subject line of the message.

Providing these details will allow us to investigate and resolve any issues more quickly.

Under certain circumstances, you can ask us to handle your complaint as a dispute under our dispute resolution procedure. View our PDF on How we handle complaints.

Nest
Nene Hall
Lynch Wood Business Park
Peterborough
PE2 6FY

Keep a copy of your letter.

Marcon

Jue_xx said:

Please help, I am tearing my hair out with NEST at the moment, they are being so unhelpful!

I joined a new employer recently, and they enrolled me in a NEST pension.  When I logged in for the first time I noticed that they had set it up as Firstname Middle Name, Firstname Middle Name, so my surname is not on the account. 

I phoned them and they asked me to send in ID to get it changed, so I sent them my passport.  I then received a message saying that they couldn't change the name on my account as it didn't match the name on my passport!  Duh!  They asked for a second form of ID, so I sent them my marriage certificate.  

I then received another message saying they couldn't change my name because my details matched those on another account.  I have been through several employers over the years and carefully keep a separate folder in my filing cabinet for each company pension, and none of them are NEST and I don't recall ever enrolling in NEST.  I sent through the Confirming Your Account form that they asked for, including name, address, NI number etc., and because I couldn't state the name of the employer who set up the account because I didn't know I had one,  they won't change it or merge the two.  They won't give me any details as to what date the old account was set up either, for "security reasons".

So how do I track down whether there is indeed another NEST pension in my name?

The key identifier is your NI number. Ask them to 'ensure' (as opposed to 'confirm') that there is only one NEST account with your NI number.

dunstonh

When I logged in for the first time I noticed that they had set it up as Firstname Middle Name, Firstname Middle Name, so my surname is not on the account. 

With auto-enrolment, the payroll team of your employer supply your details to the provider.    Your welcome letter from Nest would have asked you to check the details and let them know if there are any errors.

I phoned them and they asked me to send in ID to get it changed, so I sent them my passport.  I then received a message saying that they couldn't change the name on my account as it didn't match the name on my passport!  Duh!  They asked for a second form of ID, so I sent them my marriage certificate.  

Passport should suffice if the date of birth is on their records.  If not, they would likely need secondary evidence, such as an HMRC letter that displays your NI number and name.

With NEST, you only have one account.  They cannot create two in the same name.  So, they now need to merge your accounts.

They won't change it or merge the two.  

They will, but only if they are confident that both belong to you.

They won't give me any details as to what date the old account was set up either, for "security reasons".

This is because, currently, they are not confident you are the person it belongs to.

So how do I track down whether there is indeed another NEST pension in my name?

It needs someone at Nest who can talk to you and it needs you to be a bit more proactive in supplying useful information.   If you cannot get that someone on the phone, then you go to complaint  (as mentioned above).  

You could also get your current employer involved as they were the ones that supplied the incorrect information to NEST for the latest pension.

Jue_xx

In their most recent message they said that "the Department of work and pensions should be able to help. You can get their contact details and information from their website.
Telephone: 0800 731 0469"

I phoned this number and it is the State Pension and Pension Credit helpline.  Nothing to do with NEST.  Can't find any other number for DWP on their website.  I am getting so annoyed now!

Thanks xylophone - looks like a compaint is in order!

squirrelpie

dunstonh said:

With NEST, you only have one account.  They cannot create two in the same name.  So, they now need to merge your accounts.

Presumably it's only the combination of name and NI number that is unique? There must be several accounts belonging to John Smith (or David Smith) for example.

Jue_xx

This is still going on.  They have now asked me to supply the name of my previous employer.  As I don't know which employer set it up, I have given the names of all my employers back 25 years.  When I counted up there were quite a few! 

JoeCrystal

Jue_xx said:

This is still going on.  They have now asked me to supply the name of my previous employer.  As I don't know which employer set it up, I have given the names of all my employers back 25 years.  When I counted up there were quite a few! 

Not last 25 years. The relevant employers are just the ones you have worked for since 2012 when the government set up NEST due to the introduction of auto-enrolment.