What is the Pensions Ombudsman?

Pensions Ombudsman (PO) is an independent organisation formed with the purpose of dealing with pension scheme complaints in the UK.

Since its establishment in 1991, it serves pension scheme members, beneficiaries, companies, and scheme trustees for free. The Pensions Ombudsman monitors and analyses how pension schemes are run on the member’s behalf. It considers complaints filed against the PTT and can appeal decisions coming from the Financial Assistance Scheme.

Filing a complaint to the Pensions Ombudsman

A complaint to the PO can be made regarding how a workplace pension or an individual plan is managed. Their phone lines are open all workdays from 10:00am to 2:00pm.

You can start a complaint about an individual pension plan or an office pension scheme that you belong to. However, the complaint to the Pensions Ombudsman needs to be made within the first three years since you first formally opened the issue.

Qualifying Pensions Ombudsman complaints

  • Individuals that manage your pension scheme, supervisors, scheme managers, trustees, and companies.
  • A problem that has a direct impact on you personally. For example, losing money, your investments perform poorly, or maybe even some shady activity taken by the people that run your pension scheme.
  • You are receiving reports featuring the wrong details.
  • Broken pledges
  • Failure to deliver promised results
  • Not following their own rule
  • Poor decision making

Non-qualifying Pensions Ombudsman complaints

  • A State Pension
  • Tracking a lost pension
  • Marketing, advertising, sales of pension plans
  • The type of benefits offered by your pension scheme

Decisions made by the Pension Ombudsman

The Pension Ombudsman’s decisions are final, they are binding and enforceable in court. Each dispute is evaluated separately to reach the best possible resolution.

The Pensions Ombudsman Service can be reached by emailing [email protected] or by calling 020 7630 2200.

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