No grounds to interfere with trustee decision making in death benefit grant (Mrs S, CAS-45582-S0J0)

Table of contents

• Original news
• Summary
• What were the facts?
• What was the Pensions Ombudsman’s decision?
• What is the impact of this determination?

Article summary

Pensions analysis: In the determination of Mrs S, CAS-45582-S0J0, the Pensions Ombudsman has rejected a complaint that a scheme trustee wrongly exercised its discretion in the distribution of a death benefit. There were no grounds in which to interfere with the exercise of the trustee discretion to pay part of a lump sum death benefit to the girlfriend of the deceased member rather than to the deceased’s family. Martin Scott of gunnercooke LLP looks at the decision.