Pensions complaints at an all-time high, says ombudsman

Complaints about pensions have increased by almost one third in the last financial year and are at an all time high, the Pensions Ombudsman has revealed in his Annual Report.

In his report released today, Pensions Ombudsman David Laverick said that nearly 4,000 complaints were received this year - by far the highest number since the office was established in 1990. The increase in complaints, up from 2,946 last year to 3,891 this year, occurred particularly in the last half of the financial year.

The ombudsman blamed the increase largely to the very high profile which pensions issues have maintained in press and broadcasting media during the year. The increase was particularly marked in the latter half of the financial year and the ombudsman has expressed concerns at the capacity of his office to cope with the increased work.

Mr Laverick said: “The bare facts are that in 2002-2003 I received 3,891 enquiries and dealt with 3,684. The net result is that despite a great deal of hard work from my staff and myself we have been failing to keep up with the incoming tide.

"The position is likely to be even more difficult in the current financial year. That is when the bulk of time needs to be spent on the work taken in last year and so far I have been allocated no additional resources to cope with that work.”

In his report the ombudsman also stressed the need for greater simplification of the rules governing who can make complaints to him and how such complaints should then be deal with.

(MB)