Pensions Ombudsman Focus Summer 2024 edition

Welcome to the Pensions Ombudsman Focus for the Summer 2024 period. In this edition, we look at eight recent complaints to the Pensions Ombudsman, including:

• a decision in which the Ombudsman found that a scheme administrator was responsible for maladministration where a member was supplied with inadequate information as to the level of GMP increases, as part of a pension increase exchange exercise;
• a decision where the Ombudsman concluded that a successful argument of estoppel had been raised where a member was incorrectly told that their cohabitating partner would be eligible for a survivor’s pension on their death;
• a decision which considered whether incorrect information provided to a member regarding estimates of their benefits and changes to the lifetime allowance amounted to maladministration;
• a decision regarding what is required when providing employees with information about auto-enrolment;
• a decision which considers in detail the equitable defences which may be available to a member when trustees seek to recover an overpayment;
• a decision regarding a member successfully establishing a claim in negligence where incorrect information was provided as to their entitlement to join the scheme;
• a decision in which a member established a claim for a lost opportunity to invest where there were delays to his transfer request; and
• a decision which relates to historic rule amendments made to equalise benefits for men and women.

Read the Summer 2024 edition.