Internal Dispute Resolution Procedure

  1. This document sets out the internal dispute resolution procedure that has been adopted by the Trustees of the Baker Group of Companies Retirement Benefits Scheme (‘the Scheme’)
  2. Members or beneficiaries who are in any doubt about their benefit entitlements should contact Capita, the Scheme Administrators in the first instance. They will seek to clarify or put right any misunderstanding or inaccuracies as quickly and efficiently as possible.
  3. If there is still dissatisfaction with any decision made in relation to the Scheme there is the right to have the complaint reviewed under the Internal Disputes Resolution Procedure (IDRP). There are also other regulatory bodies that may be able to assist.
  4. The IDRP applies only to matters of dispute between a member or prospective member of the Scheme and the Trustees. It provides a process to resolve a problem that has not been settled through informal communications. It may not be used if a dispute has been taken to a court, tribunal or the Pensions Ombudsman.
  5. Where a person mentioned in 6 below makes a formal application to the Trustees for a decision in a dispute between them and the Trustees about a matter relating to the Scheme, this procedure shall apply.
  6. The following persons with an interest in the Scheme may apply for this procedure:
  • A member of the Scheme
  • A widow, widower, surviving civil partner or surviving dependant of a deceased member of the Scheme.
  • A surviving non-dependent beneficiary of a deceased member of the Scheme.
  • An individual who has ceased to be within any of the categories of persons referred to above.
  • An individual who claims to be such a person as is mentioned above and the dispute relates to whether he is such a person.
  1. An application for the resolution of a dispute may be made or continued on behalf of a person mentioned in 3 above:
  • where the person dies, by his personal representatives.
  • where the person is a minor or is otherwise incapable of acting for himself, by a member of his family or some other person suitable to represent him.
  • in any other case, by a representative nominated by him.
  1. Applications must:
    Be in writing and sent to The Trustees of the Baker Group of Companies Retirement Benefits Scheme  at the following address:c/o Ms Emma McCracken
    Secretary to the Trustees
    Capita Employee Solutions
    65 Gresham Street
    London, EC2V 7NQ
  • Give sufficient details of the matter in dispute.
  • Include relevant documents.
  1. Applications must be made before the end of the period of 6 months beginning immediately after the date on which the applicant ceased to be, or claims he ceased to be, a person with an interest in the SchemeThe Trustees may agree to accept an application for a dispute received outside this 6- month period either where the person with an interest in the Scheme could not have reasonably known about the matter in dispute within the 6 months or for exceptional reasons such as incapacity
  2. If the dispute relates to an exempted dispute within the meaning of section 50(9) (a) or (b) of the Pensions Act 1995, this dispute procedure is not available. If, after an application for the resolution of a dispute has been made, the dispute becomes an exempted dispute, the resolution of the dispute under this procedure ceases.
  3. Acknowledgement of your complaint will be provided by the Trustees within 10 working days of receipt.
  4. Disputes being considered by the Trustees will normally be decided, and the applicant notified of the decision, within 2 months of the Trustees receiving the application.
  5. Applicants will usually be notified of the decision no later than 15 working days after the decision has been made.
  6. If you are unhappy with the response provided by the Trustees, you may refer the matter to the Pensions Ombudsman, the addresses of whom will have been provided with the Trustees’ response. The Ombudsman available to assist members and beneficiaries of a Scheme in connection with difficulties which they have failed to resolve with the Trustees of the Scheme. The Ombudsman also investigates disputes of law or fact in relation to the Scheme.
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