NEST PENSIONS - GROSS INCOMPETENCE OR A CON?

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Having now (extremely reluctantly) set up 3 Employer Pension Schemes with NEST with a total of 6 employees automatically enrolled, not a single one has received a welcome pack.  Is this Gross Incompetence or a way of trying to force Employees to stay in?  During an online chat with Nest following the first instance we asked point blank 3 times if they could confirm that the packs had been sent out. The question was carefully avoided 3 times.  Following the latest instance an Employee phoned NEST to complain about non-receipt of the pack and therefore not being able to opt out and was basically told 'tough you can't opt out now'.  She was not informed that she could cease contributions. Are others experiencing this?

Replies (16)

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By Moonbeam
15th Sep 2017 16:03

No, I've not heard of people not receiving a welcome pack if their address was the right one. I have had people not getting them because I wasn't told of their new address.
It seems to me that you should make a formal complaint, as I doubt it's just these companies that are having the problem.

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Replying to Moonbeam:
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By Watson Associates
15th Sep 2017 16:47

Been there, done that without success. Have offered to sue NEST on behalf of 1 client but the sums are so small it's not worth it. Our Payroll & Auto-enrolment services are performed by a family member who also has other clients. His experiences with NEST are so bad he refuses to use them normally. We occasionally talk him into it if the Employer would struggle to pay the set-up cost of say, The Peoples Pension (who he has no trouble with) but thus far have regretted doing so every time. You only get what you pay for?

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RLI
By lionofludesch
15th Sep 2017 16:03

No. I'm surprised you've got a boat-load of folk wanting to opt out though. I've had 3. Nearly everyone has taken up the option with alacrity.

That may change, of course, when contributions triple next year.

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Replying to lionofludesch:
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By Watson Associates
15th Sep 2017 16:54

They didn't all want to opt out. The point I'm making is that 100% failed to receive the packs. Those that did want to opt out were unable to for 1 or 2 months and now have stupid amounts sitting doing nothing in a pension scheme they didn't want, especially as some have Personal Pensions they pay in to.

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Replying to Watson Associates:
RLI
By lionofludesch
15th Sep 2017 17:02

Well, at least they have 2½ times as much in the fund as they paid in.

I've had no problems with NEST. Peoples is OK too.

Now! are different - this stupid idea of creating every single pay period is as time-consuming as it is pointless.

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By bernard michael
16th Sep 2017 10:37

I've had silly e-mails from NEST threatening to report me to the Pensions Regulator because contributions logged on their system are marked as overdue. Amounts shown as due and payable £0.00. That could be an interesting exchange of correspondence

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Replying to bernard michael:
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By Watson Associates
16th Sep 2017 11:53

Yep, had that too. They seem to have a policy of sending threatening letters instead of reminders. We've had one for overdue payment where there is a Direct Debit in place!

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Replying to Watson Associates:
JCACE
By jcace
16th Sep 2017 23:36

The NEST Direct Debit needs to be confirmed/authorised/approved every time a payment is made - it's not automatically collected like most other DDs

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By D V Fields
17th Sep 2017 12:10

jcace wrote:

The NEST Direct Debit needs to be confirmed/authorised/approved every time a payment is made - it's not automatically collected like most other DDs


Agreed and very frustrating. Consequently, I now tend to carryout all the actions on the same day in order to inadvertently overlook approving the payment. In doing so NEST still send a "We will report you to the Pensions Regulator" email despite payment being taken. I am thinking of reporting them myself to the Pensions Regulator with the charge of "not fit for purpose" - currently giving them the benefit of doubt - although this thread may prompt a rethink!

PS not aware of employees not receiving welcome pack - but will prompt me now to enquire as pensions is not everyones hot topic.

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By Moonbeam
17th Sep 2017 17:31

I've also had problems with remembering to trigger the dd's and had difficulties with at least one client about this. I agree the best way to do this is to do every client's submission all in one go. Then when the Nest email comes through, check again that all the payments will be taken.
It's a major reason for me to dislike Nest.

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Melchett
By thestudyman
17th Sep 2017 23:23

I've had no problem with staff receiving the welcome packs.

I've also found communication pretty good if you use the live chat facility on their website.

I do agree the procedure for having to approve a payment already paid via DD is quite annoying.

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PJ
By paulgrca.net
18th Sep 2017 12:49

Don't think there is a welcome pack - employees are just sent a letter with their individual log in details for the website - everything is then done online.

All the information an employee needs to know is shown online.

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By MSD1968
18th Sep 2017 18:00

I believe that it is possible for employees yet to receive their letter with NEST ID to call NEST, correctly identify themselves (DOB, NINO etc.) and then opt out over the phone.

Assumes, of course, that the individual has given his employer the correct NINO and can remember it on the telephone when prompted without asking their employer what it is. Old duffers (like me) seem to have no trouble remembering their NINO; my 21 year old daughter asks me for a reminder (via some social media direct message, naturally) every time she is required to quote it or complete a form.

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By Mdeacon1
03rd Jan 2018 17:00

Another one to add to this. 10 staff, none received pack and opt out deadline missed. Staff getting nowhere with Nest so phoned on their behalf and spent an hour on the phone. Great idea that the government puts this in place but whom is regulating NEST to make sure they are compliant?

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By m3pete
29th May 2019 17:50

I am an ex-employee of a recruitment agency which uses Nest. I am approaching retirement and am investigating receiving my pension; fortunately, I have a relatively small amount invested with them. Everything has to be done online, which would be all right if the online forms worked, which they don't.
I had an "online chat", in which the agent promised to stick with me while I completed the online forms, but in fact they terminated the conversation while I was in the middle of it (I wasn't being at all rude)!
I've a feeling that I might never receive my money from this scheme.

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Replying to m3pete:
By Moonbeam
29th May 2019 18:06

Lodge a formal complaint with Nest first, and if still no good, go to the Pensions Regulator.

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