Quoted wrong figures for early retirement, not discovered until post retirement

[sueandsimba]

Hi, I wonder if you can help. I took early retirement from a county council post on 20th August. I decided to go for this after I was given projected figures for annual pension and lump sum. However, when contacted by Pensions last week about another matter, they disclosed my actual annual pension and lump sum, and the pension was £300 short of what I'd been quoted and the lump sum nearly £800 short.
I rang HR and they think it may be their mistake and will look into it. However, I was told that I would get the amount that the pensions guy was quoting if they had made a mistake.
I thought about this, and am not happy. It's disgraceful to make a mistake in something so crucial as quotes on which a person could decide their future plans. I do feel they should honour the written quotations they have given, as had I known the figures were lower, I may have decided not to go for early retirement.
What advice can you give?

Many thanks.

[teaboy2]

Re: Quoted wrong figures for early retirement, not discovered until post retirement

Do you have any signed documents including the figures they quoted you?

[judgemental24]

Re: Quoted wrong figures for early retirement, not discovered until post retirement

With any Early Voluntary Retirement (EVR) HR in consultation with the pension provider (Occupational Pension) will give you all the facts and figures in writing before you retire and sign on the dotted line

That then gives you the opportunity before you retire to get independent financial advice

Was the local Trade Union not involved overseeing the procedure??

This is a major screw up

[sueandsimba]

Re: Quoted wrong figures for early retirement, not discovered until post retirement

Hi, yes I have three letters all repeating the same apparently erroneous figures. I don't have a scanner, but they all say:

'These figures are based on an end date of xxx which is a snapshot in time and may be adjusted subject to your agreed end date'.

Two of the letters are titled Summary of Payments, and in these they have quoted my annual and weekly pay correctly, but as I have now discovered the lump sum and annual pension quoted are wrong.

I had a call from HR yesterday, and was told that payroll had sent the wrong salary details to the pensions people who supplied the quote. They continue to look into how the error occurred, and said that would 'have a conversation' with me, once this has come to light, and perhaps I could go for redeployment!! I'm no longer an employee, so not sure how they can work that one out!

I took early retirement and voluntary redundancy at the request of the council who were looking to avoid compulsory redundancy situations. Incidentally, they also got my redundancy figure wrong, quoted me for 27 weeks, when I was entitled to 28 - fortunately I spotted that prior to the money being paid into my account.

- - - Updated - - -

I was a member of Unison, but I have now left work, so am a retired member. I did contact the branch sec, and he said to take it up through some pension policy procedure, but I am clueless as to how to go about this.

[judgemental24]

Re: Quoted wrong figures for early retirement, not discovered until post retirement

Unison should have been involved in every step , they are passing the buck. It is there job to chase it up on your behalf of your employer

This is looking like wrongful dismissal to me as you terminated your contract of employment on false information provided by the employer

I would think they have to give you your job back as though you never left

[sueandsimba]

Re: Quoted wrong figures for early retirement, not discovered until post retirement

Unison have been involved with the whole process of the restructure and redundancies, but I think checking the CC got all the retirement figures correct is perhaps not really their remit. I will contact them again, and see if they will look into things for me further. I would want a rep with me when this proposed 'conversation' that HR want to have happens though. To be honest, I'm done with the council, the thought of having to go back to my job fills me with terror! I simply just want to receive the amount I've been quoted.

[judgemental24]

Re: Quoted wrong figures for early retirement, not discovered until post retirement

If you have that in writing, and as you have terminated your employment on those figures, the employer needs to honour them

Good luck

[sueandsimba]

Re: Quoted wrong figures for early retirement, not discovered until post retirement

I don't think it's as simple as that, I've been looking at Ombudsman decisions, and you have to prove you wouldn't have retired if they had got the figures correct.

I think that's awful, to be honest. It wasn't my mistake, it was theirs, so not sure why I should have to bear the burden of proof. I would think the employer would need to prove I would have continued to go for redundancy and retirement had I been given correct figures.