Ex employer didn't pay pension contributions

[ThunderOnlyHappens]

Any advice please? I left my previous employer in Nov 18. I checked my pension and to my horror realised that they had not paid pension contributions between Nov 15 to May 17. I have contacted the company twice to ask them to either recite this or refund the money deducted from my salary. They have replied only to say it will be sorted by the time I retire (in 2049), presumably in the hope I will forget about it and leave them alone.

I have reported this to the pensions regulator who have replied only to acknowledge my complaint in January this year but nothing since.

Can anyone offer any advice. I am not sure where to go from here but this is a reasonable sum of money to me (£500ish) and I am also missing employer contributions and tax relief, not to mention a reduction in my pension when I eventually get it.

I am pissed off about this. They were dreadful to work for and now it feels like they have stolen money from me.

Why would they refund the money deducted from your salary? That money was for your employee contributions. They contribute in addition to it.. so you haven't had anything other than your own contribution deducted.

You have done the right thing by reporting this to the Pensions Regulator. They should ensure that you are in the same position as you would have been if your employer had paid the contributions correctly. So you won't get your contributions back but they should be paid into your pension fund.

Sorry if this wasn't clear, what I mean is that they deducted money from my salary and then didn't pay that money into my pension, effectively topping the company accounts with my money.

Yes, I understand that. The Pensions Regulator will make sure the money is paid into your pension.

I would follow up with the pensions regulator - it’s been several months and this is serious

The pensions regulator will only investigate companies. They won't give you a personal update.

What type of pension do you have?

Also, if the contritions were deducted before tax was calculated you won't be missing tax relief. This is the most common way for employees to get tax relief. If you get tax relief added by your pension company when the contribution is paid to them then this will be put right eventually

Report them to the financial ombudsman. I got my pension issue sorted within 1 week by involving them. Also tell your previous work you are doing this as the threat alone can help.

Update- contacted them by email to create a paper trail. After some going backwards and forwards with some name-calling (from them) and me pointing out that I wold contact the Pension Regulator and Ombudsman they are actually going to pay the money into my pension! Will believe it when I see it.