Teachers' Pension Scheme (CAS-44368-C3K1)

Ombudsman’s Determination

Outcome

The complaint is upheld in part, in that Mr N sustained non-financial injustice (distress and inconvenience) as a result of the failure to identify the overpayment earlier, together with the content and tone of the correspondence relating to the recovery of the overpayment.

Complaint summary

Mr N’s complaint concerns the overpayment of retirement benefits that TP is seeking to recover. 

Mr N: 

accepts that his pension should be reduced going forward; but

considers the past overpayments should not be recovered as the overpayments should have been discovered earlier or, if the Pensions Ombudsman (the PO) concludes that the overpayment should be recovered, the period of recovery should be longer than currently proposed.

Moreover, Mr N believes he has sustained non-financial injustice (distress and inconvenience) as a result of the failure to identify the overpayment earlier and as a result of the tone of the correspondence relating to the recovery of the overpayment.