The Pensions Ombudsman is an independent and impartial service set up in 1991 to settle complaints and disputes relating to pension administration more quickly and less formally than a court case. Determinations made are legally binding with no financial limit, although the Ombudsman has no enforcement powers if the respondents do not comply with the determination and the matter would then be referred to a civil court.
The service is sponsored by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and funded by a levy collected from schemes by The Pensions Regulator (TPR).
This page contains details of determinations that The Pensions Ombudsman (TPO) has made in relation to the Firefighters' Pension Schemes. Items highlighted with * indicate cases of particular significance. While we endeavour to keep this site up to date, we would always recommend checking the TPO website for the latest news.
Stakeholder newsletters and other communications from TPO can be accessed via the menu on the right hand side of the page.
| Reference | Topic | Determination | Date |
| CAS-38812-C6W1 (PDF, 5 pages, 331kb) | Contributions: refunds | Not upheld | 14/03/2022 |
| PO-25374 (PDF, 24 pages, 5,051kb) | Benefits: overpayment (recovery of) | Partly upheld | 25/11/2021 |
| PO-22474 (PDF, 13 pages, 2,090kb) | Membership | Upheld | 25/01/2021 |
| PO-15170 (PDF, 9 pages, 1,170kb) | Misquote/ misinformation | Upheld | 21/05/2020 |
| PO-15168 and PO-15171 (PDF, 10 pages, 1,460kb) | Failure to provide information/ act on instructions | Upheld | 27/03/2020 |
| PO-21552 (PDF, 10 pages, 2,580kb) | Contributions: incorrect calculation | Not upheld | 20/11/2019 |
| PO-19150 (PDF, 16 pages, 3,010kb) | Ill Health | Not upheld | 10/09/2019 |
| * PO-14863 (PDF, 16 pages, 5,280kb) | Membership | Partly upheld | 02/10/2018 |
| PO-18495 (PDF, 4 pages, 273kb) | Contributions: incorrect calculation | Not upheld | 22/03/2018 |
| PO-13791 (PDF, 12 pages, 269kb) | Benefits: incorrect calculation | Not upheld | 08/11/2017 |
| PO-15728 (PDF, 5 pages, 182kb) | Misquote/ misinformation | Not upheld | 26/09/2017 |
| PO-9469 (PDF, 8 pages, 206kb) | Misquote/ misinformation | Not upheld | 26/07/2017 |
| PO-12836 (PDF, 6 pages, 218kb) | Misquote/ misinformation | Not upheld | 21/07/2017 |
| PO-6848 (PDF, 4 pages, 213kb) | Ill Health | Upheld | 19/04/2017 |
| PO-13320 (PDF, 8 pages, 317kb) | Benefits: overpayment (recovery of) | Partly upheld | 20/03/2017 |
| PO-15101 (PDF, 5 pages, 214kb) | Ill Health | Not upheld | 16/03/2017 |
| PO-11867 (PDF, 5 pages, 188kb) | Benefits: incorrect calculation | Not upheld | 11/01/2017 |
| PO-8402 (PDF, 9 pages, 258kb) | Ill Health | Not upheld | 31/10/2016 |
| PO-9965 (PDF, 5 pages, 161kb) | Benefits: incorrect calculation | Not upheld | 18/10/2016 |
| PO-11377 (PDF, 8 pages, 187kb) | Death benefits | Not upheld | 08/09/2016 |
| PO-6549 (PDF, 4 pages, 149kb) | Abatement | Not upheld | 25/05/2016 |
| * PO-1327 (PDF, 41 pages, 255kb) | Benefits: incorrect calculation | Upheld | 13/05/2015 |
| PO-3839 (PDF, 7 pages, 70.7kb) | Ill Health | Upheld | 28/10/2014 |
| PO-2573 (PDF, 21 pages, 152kb) | Transfers: general | Not upheld | 01/08/2014 |
| PO-120 (PDF, 14 pages, 193kb) | Benefits: incorrect calculation | Not upheld | 17/01/2014 |
| PO-615 (PDF, 24 pages, 236kb) | Ill Health | Upheld | 23/12/2013 |
| PO-2023 (PDF, 4 pages, 135kb) | Benefits: incorrect calculation | Not upheld, appeal dismissed | 04/10/2013 |
| PO-610 (PDF, 9 pages, 158kb) | Injury benefit | Not upheld | 28/05/2013 |
| 75538/2 (PDF, 9 pages, 204kb) | Ill Health | Not upheld | 18/01/2010 |
| 72963/1 (PDF, 15 pages, 329kb) | Ill Health | Partly upheld | 24/08/2009 |
| 72692/1 (PDF, 19 pages, 279kb) | Injury benefit | Not upheld | 30/01/2009 |
| 7724/2 (PDF, 7 pages, 177kb) | Injury benefit | Not upheld | 08/08/2008 |
| R00692 (PDF, 22 pages, 235kb) | Ill Health | Not upheld | 25/01/2008 |
| N01150 (PDF, 8 pages, 165kb) | Benefits: incorrect calculation | Not upheld | 08/03/2006 |
| P00244 (PDF, 12 pages, 233kb) | Misquote/ misinformation | Not upheld | 08/08/2005 |
| M00083 (PDF, 8 pages, 109kb) | Injury benefit | Upheld | 15/10/2003 |
| M00758 (PDF, 19 pages, 231kb) | Ill Health | Partly upheld | 18/06/2003 |
| M00357 (PDF, 11 pages, 182kb) | Ill Health | Upheld | 28/04/2003 |
| K00637 (PDF, 7 pages, 117kb) | Injury benefit | Partly upheld | 15/05/2001 |
| K00513 (PDF, 5 pages, 107 kb) | Injury benefit | Upheld | 02/05/2001 |
| * K00521 (PDF, 6 pages, 100kb) | Benefits: incorrect calculation | Upheld | 22/03/2001 |
| Reference | Topic | Determination | Date |
| PO-18920 (PDF, 8 pages, 1,450kb) | Pension complaint or dispute | Upheld | 16/12/2020 |
| PO-22496 (PDF, 7 pages, 795kb) | Failure to provide information/act on instructions | Not upheld | 21/12/2018 |
| * PO-15584 (PDF, 12 pages, 271kb) | Interpretation of scheme rules | Upheld | 22/02/2018 |
| PO-13787 (PDF, 5 pages, 187kb) | Transfers: general | Partly upheld | 31/05/2017 |
| PO-3511 (PDF, 24 pages, 164kb) | Benefits: incorrect calculation | Not upheld | 13/08/2014 |
| Reference | Topic | Determination | Date |
| CAS-36612-B7C0 (PDF, 7 pages, 1,100kb) | Transfers: club transfers | Not upheld | 17/12/2021 |
| Reference | Topic | Determination | Date |
| PO-16358 (PDF, 15 pages, 632kb) | Benefits: overpayment (recovery of) | Partly upheld | 09/11/2018 |
| PO-17143 (PDF, 7 pages, 240kb) | Injury benefit | Not upheld | 24/01/2018 |
| PO-3586 (PDF, 12 pages, 121kb) | Injury benefit | Upheld | 31/03/2017 |
| PO-8356 (PDF, 7 pages, 176kb) | Injury benefit | Upheld | 03/10/2016 |
| PO-5463 (PDF, 12 pages, 246kb) | Ill health | Not upheld | 10/09/2015 |
| PO-610 (PDF, 9 pages, 158kb) | Injury benefit | Not upheld | 28/05/2013 |