Complaints

How to complain

• Send us an email at complaints@bandce.co.uk. Please include your full name, date of birth or National Insurance number and customer number (found within ‘our reference’ in our letters to you).
• Call us on: 0300 2000 555 (calls charged at local rates) lines open 8.30am–8pm Monday to Friday and 9am–1pm Saturday.
• Write to: Complaints Team Manager, B&CE Benefit Schemes, Manor Royal, Crawley, West Sussex RH10 9QP. Please include your full name, date of birth or National Insurance number and customer number (found within ‘our reference’ in our letters to you).

We aim to resolve your complaint immediately – if we can’t – we’ll write to you, and let you know how we’re investigating your concerns and how long we think this will take.

Our promise

We’ll respond to your complaint within five working days (of the date we received it) – although we may not always have a resolution by then.

• Our complaints team have the knowledge and skills needed to investigate and resolve your complaint.
• They’ll ensure they were not directly involved in the cause of your complaint.
• They have the authority to settle your complaint (or have access to someone who has the necessary authority).

We’ll write to you within eight weeks of receiving your complaint with either:

• a final response or
• if we still need more time, we’ll contact you and explain the reason for the delay, letting you know when you’ll receive a final reply.

Depending on your policy (EasyBuild, RapidCash, contracted-out pension scheme, Term Assurance, Personal Accident or Employee Accident Cover from B&CE) you may be able to refer your complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service. We’ll send you details at the time.

We’ll send you a final response:

• if we were at fault we may offer compensation or another form of redress
• if we reject your complaint we’ll give you a full explanation.

If you’re unhappy with our final response and your complaint’s about The People’s Pension Scheme, Benefits Scheme (Lump Sum Retirement Benefit, additional voluntary contributions or Death Benefits), Accident Benefit Scheme, Employee Life Cover from B&CE Scheme or Holiday Pay Scheme:

• you can use our internal dispute resolution procedure to escalate your complaint. We’ll send you more details about this.

If you’re unhappy with our final response (or if we’ve been unable to resolve your complaint within eight weeks) and your complaint’s regarding EasyBuild, RapidCash, contracted-out pension scheme, Term Assurance, Personal Accident or Employee Accident Cover from B&CE:

• you have the right to refer your complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service, free of charge, but you must do so within six months of our final response to your complaint. If you do not refer your complaint in time, the Ombudsman will not have our permission to consider your complaint and will only be able to do so in very limited circumstances. For example, if the Ombudsman believes that the delay was as a result of exceptional circumstances.

 

The Financial Ombudsman Service

Visit the Ombudsman’s website for more information.

Alternatively, you may refer your concerns to one of the following:

The Pensions Advisory Service

An independent organisation that provides information and guidance to members of the public.

The Pensions Regulator

The UK regulator for work-based pension schemes. The authority has wide ranging powers and, amongst other things, is able to intervene in the running of pension schemes where trustees, employers or professional advisers fail in their duties.

The Pensions Ombudsman

An independent organisation set up by law to investigate complaints about pension administration. The Pensions Ombudsman will look at the facts without taking sides. They have the legal power to make decisions that are final, binding and enforceable.

How to complain

• Send us an email at complaints@bandce.co.uk. Please include the employer or company name and account number.
• Call us on: 01293 586666 (calls charged at local rates) between 8.30am and 5.30pm Monday to Friday.
• Write to: Complaints Team Manager, B&CE Benefit Schemes, Manor Royal, Crawley, West Sussex RH10 9QP. Please include the employer or company name, account number and contact details.

We aim to resolve your complaint immediately – if we can’t – we’ll write to you, and let you know how we’re investigating your concerns and how long we think this will take.

Our promise

We’ll respond to your complaint within five working days (of the date we received it) – although we may not always have a resolution by then.

• Our complaints team have the knowledge and skills needed to investigate and resolve your complaint.
• They’ll ensure they were not directly involved in the cause of your complaint.
• They have the authority to settle your complaint (or have access to someone who has the necessary authority).

We’ll write to you within eight weeks of receiving your complaint with a final response or:

• if we still need more time, we’ll contact you and explain the reason for the delay, letting you know when you’ll receive a final reply
• if you haven’t received a final reply after eight weeks, you may be able to refer your complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service. This will depend on the financial product and if you are a micro employer (with less than 10 employees), a charity with an income of less than £1m or a Trustee of a trust which has a net asset value of less than £1m. We’ll send you details at the time.

We’ll send you a final response:

• if we were at fault we may offer compensation or another form of redress
• if we reject your complaint we’ll give you a full explanation.

If you’re unhappy with our final response (or if we’ve been unable to resolve your complaint within eight weeks) and your complaint’s regarding EasyBuild, RapidCash, contracted-out pension scheme, Term Assurance, Personal Accident or Employee Accident Cover from B&CE:

• and you are a micro employer (with less than 10 employees), a charity with an income of less than £1m, or a Trustee of a trust which has a net asset value of less than £1m, you have the right to refer your complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service, free of charge, but you must do so within six months of the date of this letter.

If you do not refer your complaint in time, the Ombudsman will not have our permission to consider your complaint and will only be able to do so in very limited circumstances. For example, if the Ombudsman believes that the delay was as a result of exceptional circumstances.

The Financial Ombudsman Service

Visit the Ombudsman’s website for more information.

If you’re unhappy with our final response (or if we’ve been unable to resolve your complaint within eight weeks) and your complaint’s regarding any of our products you can refer your concerns to one of the following:

The Pensions Regulator

The UK regulator for work-based pension schemes. The authority has wide ranging powers and, amongst other things, is able to intervene in the running of pension schemes where trustees, employers or professional advisers fail in their duties.

The Pensions Ombudsman

An independent organisation set up by law to investigate complaints about pension administration. The Pensions Ombudsman will look at the facts without taking sides. They have the legal power to make decisions that are final, binding and enforceable.

How to complain

• Send us an email at complaints@bandce.co.uk. Please include the employer or company name and account number (if applicable).
• Call us on: 01293 586666 (calls charged at local rates) between 8.30am and 5.30pm Monday to Friday.
• Write to: Complaints Team Manager, B&CE Benefit Schemes, Manor Royal, Crawley, West Sussex RH10 9QP. Please include the employer or company name, account number and contact details.

We aim to resolve your complaint immediately – if we can’t – we’ll write to you, and let you know how we’re investigating your concerns and how long we think this will take.

Our promise

We’ll respond to your complaint within five working days (of the date we received it) – although we may not always have a resolution by then.

• Our complaints team have the knowledge and skills needed to investigate and resolve your complaint.
• They’ll ensure they were not directly involved in the cause of your complaint.
• They have the authority to settle your complaint (or have access to someone who has the necessary
  authority).

We’ll write to you within eight weeks of receiving your complaint with either:

• a final response or
• if we still need more time, we’ll contact you and explain the reason for the delay, letting you know when you’ll receive a final reply.

Alternatively, you may refer your concerns to:

The Pensions Regulator

The UK regulator for work-based pension schemes. The authority has wide ranging powers and, amongst other things, is able to intervene in the running of pension schemes where trustees, employers or professional advisers fail in their duties.