Pensions body slams bad mangement

Ministers should be prosecuted over bad management in public sector pensions, the Pensions Ombudsman has said after recording…

Ministers should be prosecuted over bad management in public sector pensions, the Pensions Ombudsman has said after recording nearly 2,000 complaints in three years.

It is very important that members of pension schemes are fully aware at all times of what their entitlements and options are if they are to plan properly for their future
Pensions Ombudsman, Paul Kenny

At the launch of the annual report today, Paul Kenny said that the number of pension complaints has increased every year since the the Office of the Pensions Ombudsman was established in 2003. The office opened 297 cases in its first year.

He was concerned that most complaints were to do with the poor management of retirement plans. The investigator also said excessive delays in resolving disputes over public sector entitlement meant many were unfairly out of pocket.

Mr Kenny, who was appointed by the government to investigate complaints and disputes independently, said that legal accountability would help to "concentrate minds."

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"Some supernannuation sections are not well resourced, which results in the neglect of the internal customer.

"It is very important that members of pension schemes are fully aware at all times of what their  entitlements and options are if they are to plan properly for their future," he said, "They deserve better."

Minister for Social and Family Affairs Martin Cullen, launching the document, also expressed concern with poor communication by both pension providers and scheme managers, that has been repeatedly raised in the Ombudsman's report.

The Pensions Ombudsman also stressed the "depressing number of complaints" about construction bosses who were either failing to register workers' pensions contributions, or failing to contributing to them.

Mr Kenny said that, overall, pensions were operating well, and most disputes were being dealt with successfully.