Mark Blyth
- Simon Borhan - Sarah Opie - Joe Chambers
Pensions Ombudsman Focus Autumn 2022 edition
Welcome to Pensions Ombudsman Focus for the Autumn 2022 period. In this edition, we look at six recent complaints to the Pensions Ombudsman, including:
- a decision in relation to a transfer case which emphasises the limited extent of the diligence process required for transfers before the new conditions for transfer regulations came into force;
- a decision in relation to delays to a transfer case which highlights that a delay in itself will not warrant the payment of a distress and inconvenience award where the same result would have occurred if there were no undue delay;
- a decision illustrating how the Ombudsman will apportion responsibility for taxation in the context of a death benefit case following delays in payment at the collective fault of the beneficiaries, trustee and employer;
- a decision regarding discretionary benefits which were paid to certain members and not others which demonstrates that the Ombudsman will consider whether the decision was made in the correct manner;
- a decision in relation to a member who received an incorrect account of the value of his benefits which he alleged formed the basis of his decision to accept a voluntary redundancy offer; and
- a decision concerning the recovery of overpayments, which demonstrates the importance of trustees acting promptly where a member may raise a defence on the basis of statutory limitation periods.