Dear Editor
Your Letters Column has evolved into a commendable Forum for ordinary persons who become frustrated in their dealings with officialdom, when they seek redress for difficulties which they often face, and for which no official channels appear to exist. Is there, for instance, a Pensions Ombudsman, someone, or some Office where a pensioner who is thwarted in his/her dealings with a Pension Provider, and deprived of his/her entitlement, can seek help? And even more challenging, if the pensioner happens to live overseas.
I have been a member of the STEPS Scheme. I do live overseas. I accept that there is real necessity to let the Pension Provider know that I am still living. I accept that a Certificate of Identity must be regularly provided, and that failure to do could result in suspension of the Payments. But I also feel that if a Certificate of Identity is later submitted, the Pension Provider should be reasonable enough to resume payments and any backlog, until of course, a fresh Certificate of Identity becomes due.
STEPS have arbitrarily withheld my Pension Payments from August last year, up to and including end-February 2023. And this despite my inquiries, and submission of Certificates of Identity dated 8/12/2022 and 3/2/2023. Six (6) months, to end-February 2020 have actually elapsed without payment of my pension. If some STEPS Ruling has been infringed, for which I am unknowingly being penalised, at least STEPS should let me know. I am in my late 80’s, thus liable to slip up sometimes.
Sincerely,
Josh Ragnauth
