Check we can help with your complaint
Check we can help with your complaint
If you have a complaint or dispute about your pension, we can help to sort it out. There are some things we can’t investigate. Check to see if your complaint is something we can deal with.
Contacting us about a pension complaint
If you would like to make a complaint, please go to the ‘Submit a complaint’ page.
If you are unsure if we can help with your complaint, answer these six questions to find out or read about what complaints we can help with on our ‘Making a complaint’ page.
If you are still unsure whether we can help you, the best way to get advice is through our LiveChat service, open Monday to Friday from 9.00am – 10.00am and again from 2.00pm – 5.00pm. The LiveChat window will automatically open on our website between these times. Alternatively, you can email us at enquiries@pensions-ombudsman.org.uk.
If you need to contact us about an existing complaint, you can speak directly to your caseworker using the details supplied on the most recent communication you have received or email us at centralsupportmailbox@pensions-ombudsman.org.uk. Please include your case reference.
Communications and Engagement
If you have a press enquiry, please contact us on 020 7630 2245 or email: communications@pensions-ombudsman.org.uk
Subscribe to our mailing list to receive all our latest news and updates to your inbox.
If you would like to invite somebody from The Pensions Ombudsman to speak at your event, please complete our speaker request form.
If you have an enquiry about partnership working, please email us at stakeholder@pensions-ombudsman.org.uk.
Useful links
If your complaint is not something we can deal with, check our useful links page for a list of other organisations that may be able to help.
The Money and Pensions Service was set up by the Government in 2019 and brought together the Money Advice Service, The Pensions Advisory Service and Pension Wise. Since June 2021, the free, independent and impartial, pension information and guidance provided by them, falls under the MoneyHelper consumer brand with Pension Wise continuing to offer free appointments for individuals over the age 50 who require guidance about their defined contribution pensions. For pensions guidance and information call 0800 011 3797 and to book a Pension Wise appointment call 0800 138 3944.
The Pension Protection Fund was set up by the Government to protect people with a defined benefit pension when an employer becomes insolvent.
Telephone: 0345 600 2541
Textphone: 0845 600 2542
The Financial Assistance Scheme was set up to protect members who have defined benefit pension schemes.
The Fraud Compensation Fund can help if a workplace pension scheme has suffered a loss due to dishonesty.
The Pensions Regulator for information on how the pensions industry is regulated and information on automatic enrolment.
The Pension Service for information about State Retirement Pension including eligibility, claims, payments and complaints
Pension Tracing Service for help with finding a lost pension.
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) oversees the conduct of individuals and companies who provide financial services. If you want financial advice, your financial adviser should be authorised by the FCA.
The Financial Services Compensation Scheme protects customers of financial services firms that have failed and can’t pay claims against it. FSCS can step in to pay compensation.
Citizens Advice offers free confidential advice online, over the phone and in person on a range of subjects including benefits, debt and money and consumer issues.
Citizens Advice consumer helpline: 0808 223 1133
Textphone: 18001 0808 223 1133
The Financial Ombudsman Service deals with complaints about sales and marketing (including mis-selling) of pensions and other financial products.
The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman makes final decisions on complaints that have not been resolved by the NHS in England and UK government departments and other public organisations. Helpline: 0345 015 4033
Ombudsman Association lists other Ombudsman organisations.
- The Handbook for Litigants in Person: www.judiciary.gov.uk
- The Chancery Guide: www.justice.gov.uk
- In England and Wales: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-courts-and-tribunals-service
- In Scotland: www.scotland-judiciary.org.uk/16/0/Court-Structure
- In Northern Ireland: www.courtsni.gov.uk
Unhappy with our service?
If you have some feedback on how we could improve our service or think something may have gone wrong, please contact us.
You can start by contacting the person you are dealing with or you can contact us at:
servicecomplaints@pensions-ombudsman.org.uk
Timeframe for raising a service complaint
If you wish to raise a complaint about our service this must be brought to us within three months of the case closing.
We will not accept service complaints brought to us outside of this timeframe, unless there is an exceptional circumstance, such as ill health, which prevented you from raising this.
We hope that we will be able to resolve the complaint but if you are still dissatisfied after we have looked into it, you might be able to refer it to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman.
Their contact details are:
Website: www.ombudsman.org.uk/make-a-complaint
Helpline: 0345 015 4033
Data protection and Freedom of Information
The Pensions Ombudsman is covered by the Data Protection Act 2018 and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). This places legal obligations on us as a data controller.
As a public body we are also subject to the Freedom of Information Act 2000. We publish information about our work through our Annual Report and our Corporate Plan. We also publish information to aid transparency in our Expenditure Reports, our Register of Interests and our Organisation Chart. You can find these in ‘Our publications’. In addition, members of the public can request information.
If you would like to contact us:
- with queries about how we have managed your personal data
- to make a subject access request
- to make a request under the Freedom of Information Act
get in touch at informationmanagement@pensions-ombudsman.org.uk.
We hope that we will be able to resolve your query, but you also have the right to make a complaint to the Information Commissioner's Office (www.ico.org.uk).