You asked for information relating to Equitable Life and the Equitable Life Payment Scheme (ELPS). In particular you wanted information on:
- any guidance or instructions that PHSO has received concerning Equitable Life and/or ELPS, and
- all complaints made to PHSO about Equitable Life, ELPS and/or HM Treasury relating to Equitable Life and/or ELPS since the ELPS was published in May 2011.
I have considered your request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and can confirm we do not hold any guidance or instructions that PHSO has received concerning Equitable Life and/or ELPS. However, we do hold information on the complaints made to PHSO relating to Equitable Life and/or ELPS since the ELPS was published in May 2011.
Please see below for a summary of the complaints made to PHSO relating to Equitable Life and/or ELPS since the ELPS was published in May 2011. We have received a total of 38 complaints, all of which were against HM Treasury. Of these complaints 6 were concluded as investigations. None were upheld.
Number of Equitable Life cases received:
Year received | Cases received |
2011/12 | 0 |
2012/13 | 15 |
2013/14 | 20 |
2014/15 | 2 |
2015/16 (Q1/Q2) | 1 |
Total | 38 |
Stage at which Equitable Life cases were closed:
Year closed | Closed at preliminary | Closed at assessment | Closed at investigation | Total |
2011/12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2012/13 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 13 |
2013/14 | 14 | 3 | 3 | 20 |
2014/15 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
2015/16 (Q1/Q2) | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
Total | 28 | 4 | 6 | 38 |
Reasons for Equitable Life case closure (year closed):
Reason for closure | 2011/12 | 2012/13 | 2013/14 | 2014/15 | 2015/ A A16 (Q1/ Q2) | Total |
General discretion – no indications of maladministration | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Investigation resolved - not upheld - failings found but already accepted and remedied by organisation | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Investigation resolved - not upheld - no maladministration or service failure | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 5 |
Not properly made – no MP referral | 0 | 10 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 19 |
Out of remit - exercise of judicial/legislative functions | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
Out of remit - other | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Premature – local resolution not started | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
Premature – local resolution ongoing | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Withdrawn – by complainant | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Withdrawn – failed to get MP referral | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Total | 0 | 13 | 20 | 3 | 2 | 38 |