How to complain about a pension

Contact your pension provider first if you need to complain. Most people get things resolved this way. As every person’s pension is different, your pension provider will usually be best placed to give you the right answer as quickly as possible.

Making a complaint

You should first ask your pension provider for details of their complaints process. This will be different depending on your provider and pension type. Follow your provider’s process before taking further action.

It’s best to make your complaint in writing and to get a written response. This helps if you need to take your complaint further.

If you need to take things further

If you’ve already followed your pension provider’s complaints process, there are different ways to take things further.

Complaining about how your pension has been run

You have the right to refer your complaint to The Pensions Ombudsman free of charge. The Pensions Ombudsman deals with complaints and disputes which concern the administration and/or management of occupational and personal pension schemes.

Contact with The Pensions Ombudsman about a complaint needs to be made within three years of when the event(s) you are complaining about happened – or, if later, within three years of when you first knew about it (or ought to have known about it). There is discretion for those time limits to be extended.

The Pensions Ombudsman can be contacted at:

10 South Colonnade, Canary Wharf
London, E14 4PU
Tel: 0800 917 4487
Email: enquiries@pensions-ombudsman.org.uk
Website: www.pensions-ombudsman.org.uk

You can also submit a complaint form online

If you have general requests for information or guidance concerning your pension arrangements contact:

The Money and Pensions Service
120 Holborn
London EC1N 2TD