My former company is refusing to release details about my pension, is there anything I can do?

[MeMySonAndI]

6 years ago I worked for this company that alhough HUGE has a proven record of taking advantage of their employees. I.E. they won't pay the last month of work if it was not a full calendar month, salaries came down without warning, and had the highest employee turnover I imagined (500+ per year even when there were only 350 posts).

Anyway... I'm getting a divorce and I have been ringing them constantly during the last 6 weeks to findout about the CETV of the pension fund I accumulated while working for them. This delay is costing me a lot of money, but they are just dragging their feet and say they don't know how long it will take. Obviously, the CETV should be provided by the company in charge of the pension scheme but they can't even provide details/form about how to contact that company.

Is there anything I can do to be taken more seriously?

[flowerybeanbag]

Do you still have terms and conditions of the pension scheme? With information about the provider? You could try contacting them directly.

[MeMySonAndI]

No, we were requested to sign and return (we even had to return our contracts when leaving the company)

[flowerybeanbag]

How bizarre! Why would they want your contracts back? Weird!

You don't know who the provider was? Do you know anyone there, a former colleague or something who would know or be able to find out for you?

Have you put your request formally in writing to HR or Finance or whoever administers it?

[KazzaL]

Unforunately although pretty terrible, not unusal with some occupational schemes these days - I work for a wealth management company and deal with pension transfers on a daily basis.

Write a formal letter of complaint - they have standard they have to meet laid down by the Financial Servies Authority and copy in

The Financial Ombudsman Service,
South Quay Plaza II, 183 Marsh Wall,
London E14 9SR; Telephone 020 7964 1000.

Might be worth ringing the ombudsman first to see what the leagl timescales they can stretch to are

hope this helps & good luck

[MeMySonAndI]

I have been talking to the head of Human Resources all the time. But may put the request in writing too.

I may contact my former boss, who nows lives in Europe, to see if he has some details... having said that... despite leaving in amicable terms he once told me they also owed him money...

[MeMySonAndI]

Thank you for that Kazza. I have just been on the phone with them and was forwarded to the pensions advisory service.

They suggested to ring the company yet another time to ask for a timescale, and if they don't reply in time to send a letter of complain with copy to the pension advisory service and they will take it from that.

Do you think that may help them to do something?

[KazzaL]

Glad to be of help - all financial product providers have a legal obligation to reply to complaint within a certain period of time I think it may be 8 weeks, but I don't work in that dept so I am probably wrong!!

Quite often though a more formal letter copying in the ombudsman usualyy does the trick though

[KazzaL]

and when you speak to them, say that you have spoken to the Pension advisory service and the financial ombudsman for advice

[MeMySonAndI]

Thanks

[MeMySonAndI]

Guess what... so far no luck!

[beanstalk]

I work as a pensions technical specialist for a pensions company (how dull is my job ) . The PAS are the people to go to, I would call them back and follow their advice.

If it is to do with divorce, there are now strict regulations on how pension-sharing on divorce is dealt with. Could you get your solicitor to write to your former employer to ask for the info. They may respond if it is seen as more formal, iyswim? I have a feeling that there may even be a time limit within which they have to provide this info, your solicitor should be able to advice on this.

You could also try looking here, there is a pension fund tracing service which you might be able to use (the PAS should be able to give you more details on this if you ask them): www.thepensionsregulator.gov.uk/aboutUs/complaints/complaints-05.aspx

KazzaL is right that the Ombudsman can help, but in my experience, he will take a long time to deal with your complaint (just because of the amount of work his office has to get through and he has to follow formal complaint guidelines). So it is not a quick fix. You should complain to the Ombudsman if all else fails but in the first instance they send you to the Pensions Advisory Service.

HTH, I'll keep an eye on this thread so let me know if you have any specific questions.

[GooseyLoosey]

It is not the FSA you want as it appears to be an occupational pension scheme. They have an obligation to give you a CETV within a certain period (assuming you have not already had one within the past year).

If they will not respond to you, they are in breach of statutory duty. You can complain to the Pensions Regulator who does have power to intervene. You can also ask to use the Scheme's own formal internal dispute resolution procedure which the scheme is obliged to have by law. It has time limits for reaching decisions which the trustees are obliged to follow.

Finally, if this does not get you anywhere, you need to contact TPAS (the Pensions Advisory Service). Its a free service staff by pensions professionals who can point you in the right direction

[BoffinMum]

Another idea. You can spend a tenner and formally make a Subject Access Request under the Data Protection Act. They have 40 days to provide all the information they have on file about you, including your contract, funnily enough ...