NHS pension dispute advice (added years)

[helidoc]

I wondered if there was someone in the TZ collective who might offer some wisdom on my wife's NHS added years issue?

Executive summary
She has paid 13 years of added years contributions from October 2009
The total is about £28000
The contract was voided in late 22 on the basis that new contracts couldn't be taken out after 2008 and the contract for the added years (AB54) can't be found
The remedy seems to be convert the contributions to an additional pension or refund contributions
Stage 1 IDR has rejected the complaint

She started paying these as a junior doctor through her single lead employer at the time, and they continued for over 5 years as a Consultant with another employer until NHS Pensions voided it.

My perspective was that 13 years of payments looks like a contract, they are even referred to as "added years" on her payslips! The proposed remedy of refund or converting to an additional pension ignores the opportunity to have grown that money.

It is about to go to Stage 2 of the IDR process, which is a necessary phase before escalation to the Pension Ombudsman.

If there were any arguments we could make to support the Stage 2 IDR process then that would be a help. Converting it to an additional pension or refunding seems unjust as 13 years opportunity to do something with that has been money denied. She did approach the BMA (our union) pensions officer who was singularly unhelpful without the contract being available.


All suggestions welcome

Thanks all

Dave

[Suds]

Sounds like she didn’t receive/sign/enter in to a formal contract, and the system automatically accepted deductions? If you a re rejected at stage 2 then there should be a possibility of your trade union referring her case to the TU solicitors for advice - your wife can’t be the only person that this has happened to. As you rightly indicate, your wife’s money should have been invested in the NHS pension investment scheme, and if so it will have increased in value. If it was never invested then they have erroneously deducted her salary for many years so there may be legal redress at least for compensation. Why not ring the ombudsman’s office to ask the simple qestion of whether deductions would constitute an implied contract or not (I find phoning better because a human being will try to make qualfied suggestions which they would never put in to print). Interesting situation, unfortunately.

[Suds]

Just a thought - check her end of year P60s up to april 2022 to see how those deductions were recorded

[Crispin]

If you have not already done so, I would be seeking specific advice from someone like this https://www.slatergordon.co.uk/emplo...tors/pensions/

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