If you have a problem
Whilst we try to resolve problems as quickly and efficiently as possible, there are occasions when things do not go as planned.
This section will help you understand what to do on such an occasion.
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- Contact Barnett Waddingham, the Plan administrator. It will try to resolve your complaint. However, if it is unable to resolve your complaint directly, they will refer it to the ZF UK Pension Plan managerial team. If you do not wish to raise your complaint with Barnett Waddingham, you may write to the Trustee Secretary at ZF UK Pension Plan, Corporate Services.
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If you remain dissatisfied with the response from Barnett Waddingham or the ZF UK Pension Plan managerial team, you may raise a complaint through the Trustee’s Internal Dispute Resolution Procedure (IDRP). This is a two stage process:
- Stage 1 – Your complaint will be reviewed by the Trustee Secretary. If you remain dissatisfied you can enter Stage 2 of the IDRP.
- Stage 2 – Your complaint will be reviewed by the Plan Trustee.
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Data protection complaints will not be subject to the same two-staged process outlined above. Instead, all data protection complaints should be referred directly to the Plan Trustee.
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The MoneyHelper Service
If you have general requests for information or guidance concerning your pension arrangements then MoneyHelper is a free to use Government funded service which can assist members in any complaints process.
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The Pensions Ombudsman’s Early Resolution Service
At any time when your problem remains unsolved you can discuss a potential complaint with the Pensions Ombudsman’s helpline service. They will listen and try to help you there and then or pass your complaint onto their Early Resolution Team who can go into more detail. Raising a complaint in this manner does not affect your right to apply to the Ombudsman for formal adjudication at a later time.
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The Pensions Ombudsman
In the unlikely event that you have a serious problem that remains unsolved you may contact the Pensions Ombudsman. The Pensions Ombudsman may investigate any complaint or dispute of fact or law and will give a legally binding determination on the complaint.
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Information Commissioner’s Office
Data subjects have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office if they are unhappy about how the Trustee (in its capacity as data controller in connection with the Plan) has handled their personal data.
Internal Dispute Resolution Procedure
It is a requirement that trustees of occupational pension plans must have procedures for dealing with disputes with members. The procedure is known as the Internal Dispute Resolution Procedure (IDRP). It is a formal, two stage procedure designed to help you.
- Stage 1 – review by the Trustee Secretary.
- Stage 2 – review by the Plan Trustee (if you are not satisfied with the first stage decision).
This procedure explains what you should do if you are unhappy with a decision about your pension benefits and the process that you need to follow and also sets out the procedure you should follow if you wish to make a complaint about how your personal information has been handled by the Plan Trustee.
A leaflet providing further information is also available.
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You can make a complaint under the IDRP if:
- You are a due to receive a pension from the Plan.
- You are a member receiving a pension from the Plan.
- You are a widow or other surviving dependant of a deceased member.
- You are not a member but you can become a member under the Plan Rules.
- You have ceased to be a member or have lost the right to become a member under the Rules of the Plan, and six months have not passed since then.
- You are making a complaint about how your personal data has been handled by the Plan Trustee and you are the data subject (i.e. the complaint relates to your own personal data).
You can use the procedure if your dispute is a result of a disagreement between you and the Trustee. The disagreement can be about any matter relating to you and the Plan.
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You can ask for a written decision on your disagreement by writing to the Trustee Secretary or by email to zfukmembers@barnett-waddingham.co.uk.
The Secretary can provide a form for you to complete with details of your complaint. Alternatively, you can provide full written details of your complaint. It is important that you give a full description of your complaint, as this will help a reply to be given quickly.
If you wish you can appoint someone to act on your behalf. If you do this, the Trustee will require a letter of authority signed by you and showing the name and address of the person you wish to appoint and also if the reply is to be sent to that person. The Trustee Secretary will consider your complaint.
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Complaints that do not relate to data protection will be considered under a two-stage process, as outlined below. For details about the process the Plan Trustee will follow when considering data protection complaints, see below – Data protection complaints.
Non-data protection complaints
Stage One
Under Stage One of the IDRP, the Trustee Secretary will consider your complaint.
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You will normally be given a decision in writing within 2 months of when you make your complaint. If this is not possible, you will receive a letter explaining the reason for the delay and a target date for a full reply. The reply will be sent to your home address (unless you have appointed someone to act on your behalf and receive the reply).
The full reply will also explain why the decision has been reached.
Stage Two
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If you disagree with the decision of the Trustee Secretary, you can ask the Plan Trustee to review your complaint by writing to the Trustee Secretary.
The Secretary will ask you to complete a form. If you have any additional information to support your complaint you should provide it to the Trustee Secretary.
At this stage you can still appoint someone to act on your behalf. If you do this, the Trustee will require a letter of authority signed by you and showing the name and address of the person you wish to appoint and also if the reply is to be sent to that person.
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The Trustee will normally reconsider the decision and reply to you within 2 months of receiving your form or letter. If this is not possible, you will receive a letter explaining the reason for the delay and a target date for a full reply. This could happen if you raise new points, which the Trustee needs to investigate. The reply will be sent to your home address (unless you have appointed someone to act on your behalf and receive the reply).
The reply will tell you if the Trustee has confirmed or changed the original decision. In either case, the reply will also explain why the Trustee has reached its decision.
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The Trustee’s decision will include a statement to let you know that:
- The MoneyHelper Service is available to assist with general requests for information or guidance concerning your pension arrangements and is a free to use Government funded service.
- The Pensions Ombudsman’s Early Resolution Service is available at any stage in the process to help members if they failed to resolve a dispute with the Trustee.
- The Pensions Ombudsman can investigate and rule on any complaint or dispute of fact or law in relation to the Plan.
You will also get a note of the contact details of the above.
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Data protection complaints will not be subject to the same two-stage process outlined above. Instead, all data protection complaints will be referred directly to the Plan Trustee. Your complaint will be acknowledged within 30 days of receipt and your complaint will be investigated, and the outcome notified to you, without any undue delay. We will keep you informed about the progress of your complaint.
In addition to your ability to complain to the Plan Trustee about how your personal information has been handled, you also have the right to lodge a complaint with The Information Commissioner's Office. The Information Commissioner's Office will generally expect you to have raised a complaint with the Plan Trustee under this Procedure first.
Information Commissioner's Office
Data subjects have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office if they are unhappy about how the Trustee (in its capacity as data controller in connection with the Plan) has handled their personal data.
| Address: |
Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
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| Telephone: |
0303 123 1113 |
| Website: |
www.ico.org.uk
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The MoneyHelper Service
If you have any general requests for information or guidance concerning your pension arrangements then MoneyHelper can assist members in any complaints process. It is a free to use Government funded service.
The Pensions Ombudsman’s Early Resolution Service
The Pensions Ombudsman’s Early Resolution Service and helpline is available at any time to assist members and beneficiaries of a pension scheme in connection with any pensions query. Using this service does not affect your right to apply to the Ombudsman for formal adjudication if you later choose to do so.
The Pensions Ombudsman
In the unlikely event that you have a serious problem that remains unsolved after using the Internal Dispute Resolution Procedure and the Pensions Ombudsman’s Early Resolution Service and helpline, you may contact the Pensions Ombudsman. The Pensions Ombudsman may investigate and determine any complaint or dispute of fact or law. He can be contacted at: