Teachers pension
Discussion
Having recently moved in with my girlfriend she has asked me to have a look over her finances to make sure everything is OK and ive noticed an issue with her teachers pension, she works at an academy.
She started at her current job about 13 years ago on a temp basis, at the time she opted out of the teachers pension scheme. She then went on to full time about a year later at the same school and the new contract as far as I understood it should have opted her back in to the teachers pension. Looking at the pension history it's showing as break in service from when she started the new contract and then randomly about 12 months ago it started showing her opted in and shes now making contributions. Her contract hasnt changed, she hasn't made any contributions during the break in service period, she never opted out of the pension with her new contract and also didnt opt back in recently, she has queried it with HR but they have updated it to show her as opted out over this period although she never chose to be.
Anyone had any experience with trying to sort out a missing period of pension or is this going to be written off?
She started at her current job about 13 years ago on a temp basis, at the time she opted out of the teachers pension scheme. She then went on to full time about a year later at the same school and the new contract as far as I understood it should have opted her back in to the teachers pension. Looking at the pension history it's showing as break in service from when she started the new contract and then randomly about 12 months ago it started showing her opted in and shes now making contributions. Her contract hasnt changed, she hasn't made any contributions during the break in service period, she never opted out of the pension with her new contract and also didnt opt back in recently, she has queried it with HR but they have updated it to show her as opted out over this period although she never chose to be.
Anyone had any experience with trying to sort out a missing period of pension or is this going to be written off?
No experience, but...
1. She should persist making enquiries with Teachers Pensions, which is the organisation that is responsible for administering and is separate from the Teachers' Pension Scheme (TPS).
2. Teachers Pensions rely on getting the right information from the employer. It may be the case that it's her employer that has screwed up the information....often the case with TPS membership.
3. If she is not content with the outcome she should consider raising a formal complaint with Teachers Pensions. Details about how this can be done can be found on their website.
4. If she is not content with the response from Teachers Pensions to her formal complaint she can ask the Pensions Ombudsman to investigate matters, and in due course he will make a legally enforceable determination if he upholds her complaint. Contact details for this and the right form to complete to start this process are on the Pensions Ombudsman's website.
Good luck!
R.
1. She should persist making enquiries with Teachers Pensions, which is the organisation that is responsible for administering and is separate from the Teachers' Pension Scheme (TPS).
2. Teachers Pensions rely on getting the right information from the employer. It may be the case that it's her employer that has screwed up the information....often the case with TPS membership.
3. If she is not content with the outcome she should consider raising a formal complaint with Teachers Pensions. Details about how this can be done can be found on their website.
4. If she is not content with the response from Teachers Pensions to her formal complaint she can ask the Pensions Ombudsman to investigate matters, and in due course he will make a legally enforceable determination if he upholds her complaint. Contact details for this and the right form to complete to start this process are on the Pensions Ombudsman's website.
Good luck!
R.
From memory automatic enrolment usually happens into a Stakeholder/DC scheme rather than the TPS. i.e. if she opted out of the TPS then at the triennial re-enrolment exercise they should have asked her if she wanted to join the Stakeholder pension as opposed to the TPS.
My point is that, even if HR have f'ked up, i don't think she can force them to backdate her TPS membership.
My point is that, even if HR have f'ked up, i don't think she can force them to backdate her TPS membership.
I'm sorry for completely forgetting about this.
She said:
"So you get auto enrolled every X amount of time (usually 3 years). They need to contact the members helpline for info on if they can correct the service and arrears will be able to invoice them for it. But obviously that's a lot of money to pay back."
She said:
"So you get auto enrolled every X amount of time (usually 3 years). They need to contact the members helpline for info on if they can correct the service and arrears will be able to invoice them for it. But obviously that's a lot of money to pay back."
bobmcgod said:
I'm sorry for completely forgetting about this.
She said:
"So you get auto enrolled every X amount of time (usually 3 years). They need to contact the members helpline for info on if they can correct the service and arrears will be able to invoice them for it. But obviously that's a lot of money to pay back."
Would OP's wife have to pay both the Employers AND the Employees arrears? I can't see the Employer agreeing to pay any arrears unless they're at fault.She said:
"So you get auto enrolled every X amount of time (usually 3 years). They need to contact the members helpline for info on if they can correct the service and arrears will be able to invoice them for it. But obviously that's a lot of money to pay back."
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