Balfour Beatty Pension Fund (PO-12824)

Ombudsman’s Determination

Outcome

I do not uphold the Estate’s complaint and no further action is required by the Trustees of the Fund.

My reasons for reaching this decision are explained in more detail below.

Complaint summary

The late Mrs E received a letter from the Trustees in September 2015, which provided the option of taking a lump sum (a trivial commutation lump sum benefit) or continuing with her existing spouse’s pension. Mrs E died shortly after receiving the letter. The Estate has said that if Mrs E had been able to do so, she would have signed the paperwork and returned it to the Trustees. The Estate is seeking payment of the lump sum.

The monthly spouse’s pension payments have now ceased. The Estate said they were “duped” into sending in the death certificate which terminated the pension payments.