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Withdrawn – by complainant |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Withdrawn – failed to get MP referral |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 |