Good Morning Saturday

Good morning Mick, Annie, and all.
A very big thank you for all the birthday wishes yesterday.
Cheered me up no end.

Gilly, I can't believe this awful saga goes on and on for you. As someone said, everything else pale into insignificance.
Also think that Gransnet should be able to somehow take up the cudgels on your behalf.

Have a good weekend one and all.

So sorry gilly you are having such a terrible time . I agree with others , try and get your local MP involved . Surely if they contacted you via and old email they are at fault ? .

Good morning from the Shropshire borders where it’s blowing a gale.

I am so upset/furious on your behalf gilly.It seems that boxes have to be ticked when dealing with these agencies,there is no room for personal circumstances,if your circumstances don’t match a box, a box is ticked anyway.There are some excellent suggestions already given,all I can add is my love and strength to you.

Yesterday,we found out why Henry has not been getting the correct advice/appointments.The dietician had mixed him up with another baby,no reason apart from carelessness.This has been going on for nearly two months.A complaint has been made,we have already had massive apologies but the thought of what could have had happened if my daughter or the other mum had followed the instructions they were given is horrific.

Marydoll,I cut DH’s hair yesterday.Doesn't look bad if I say so myself!

Take care and stay safe everyone.

How shocking Susan that the dietician could mix up two babies. I am sure she cannot blame lockdown for that!
I hope she gives the proper advice now!

Good morning from a very blustery County Durham coast. I read this thread but have only posted once before.

I’m moved to post a teeny bit of practical help for Gillybob as I have dealt with The Pensions Regulator on a few occasions; both as an employer and as a financial adviser for businesses I look after.

Whilst it’s virtually impossible to overturn a fine, there is a Financial Hardship form that can be submitted and they will consider allowing repayment of the fine in instalments. I know that’s not ideal but it would, at least, stop the fine from attracting the £50 daily increase.

Not all accountants offer Auto Enrolment and, those that do, often use the cheapest provider for every client, rather than selecting the best option. Accountants are rarely also regulated financial advisers so this is not their speciality.

However, if you have an accountant who deals with your AE pensions on your behalf, they they are responsible for ensuring you’re up-to-date and may be liable to pay any fine.

If there’s anything I can do to help please don’t hesitate to ask as it’s the last thing you need right now x

dragonfly,it really is shocking.We have requested that a different dietician is allocated to Henry.
Hope Dexter’s handover goes well today.

Good morning all from from a stormy Glasgow. Not that I was planning to go anywhere!

Dear gilly I am so full of admiration for you. I hope the advice given by others results in a solution to this latest fiasco you have been dealt but it is a lot for you to deal with alone and we are always here for you.

I was convinced yesterday was Saturday but thankfully the letter F on my pill box helped keep me on track with reality?

My get up and go has definitely left the building as my newly acquired mindset tells me I have all the time in the world when I look at my to do list. Not who I was at all before lockdown. I’m still very wary of going back out there.

Have the best day you can everyone

Hi from a slightly wet and windy village in Oxfordshire. I think we are going to look at picnic tables today. Not sure where. This afternoon I will be reading my 4-year old granddaughter a story or two on Zoom. Maybe a bit of knitting and I may look up a recipe for coffee icecream. I have one of those icecream machines which is a 'stand alone' machine. Best present ever. I usually have half a dozen or so different icecreams in the freezer.

Grandmafrench, sadly these sort of drunken gatherings will unfortunately take place with a vengeance when all the airheads start their holidaying abroad after lockdown.

How sad it is to see these beautiful places wrecked by these mindless Idiots. I read about those in Malaga and thought about Urmston et al who enjoy these lovely countries and can well do without the trash who visit them. There's no respect is there ?

Thank you so much everyone for your good wishes and practical advise too.

I think I’ve already covered most things to be honest , short of contacting my MP who is worse than useless . I contacted my MP (by email and letter) last year when the LA put the rent on my little factory up by a whopping 20% in one go. I have yet to receive either an acknowledgement or a reply .

My accountant doesn’t look after our wage roll or the workplace pensions Fran336 . I always manage to do them myself . There are only 5 of us in the entire company these days and only 2 in the workplace pension scheme. When my DH was in hospital I was shooting up to work and doing the weekly wages at al, times of the day and night (mostly night) and I just absolutely forgot about the workplace pensions . As soon as I realised I rang them and explained that I had forgotten to download the contributions . I caught up immediately and paid in full . The total amount was only around £300 so the £400 fine seems completely over the top. I realise that they are absolutely not going to back down on this one .

I suspect I will have no alternative but to try and ring them on Tuesday again and ask if I can pay in instalments .

Fed up doesn’t cover it .

I can’t believe that the hospital could mix 2 babies up either Susan56 although having just typed that, I take it back . I do believe it . Poor little Henry and the other baby too.

I’ve not seen heard anything about the drunken antics. As you say EV mindless idiots are everywhere.

We’ve noticed huge people carriers arriving overthe lastday or so with Spanish and their suitcases, arriving for the summer in their second homes on the coast. Travel across the province is now allowed. Villas round the corner that were shuttered up are being occupied again. Two car loads came into our building too. I just hope the coronovirus figures stay low.

Good morning from a windy Highlands. Last night the winds were ferocious and I was running around weighing items down or dragging them to the shed. However the sun is shining now but the grass is too wet to cut - delaying tactics.
Netflix party tonight with the scattered family, to look forward to.
gillybob. I really feel for you. Although your accountant doesn’t do the payroll maybe he can help in some way. You have been given some very good advice here and I hope it brings some respite.
I’m off to prepare today’s food which will be using up some of the strange substitutions. I allow the substitutions as they are (sometimes) better than nothing or I offer them to neighbours.
Have the best day you can everyone.

Afternoon All

It’s bloomin’ windy innit!

After listening to DGD3 read on FaceTime this morning and looking at my self in the little screen, I decided enough was enough and have had a go at cutting my hair.

The front doesn’t look too bad, but the sides feel a little lopsided. I tried to thin the back but it feels very patchy. DH of course, says it looks fine - but then he thinks that my looking like Ringo Starr is fine too! I’ll nibble a bit more off tomorrow.

Gilly. You have such courage. I’d have thrown in the towel long ago.

Good afternoon to everyone.

I’m late today as I have a hangover after helping DH drink some of the beer that he had delivered.

It is sunny and very windy here in the East Midlands and last night my gigantic delphinium was blown over and snapped! My fault as I had the canes ready to prop it up and just forgot. My DS and me managed to save the rest of them and the lupin.

Stay safe and sane.

Good afternoon everyone from the Gower, where the weather today is mixed to say the least.

Since I am feeling very drained after the extra medication I've had to take (last one of 3 yesterday evening) I wasn't going to post but I cannot in my heart not do so because I am incensed at what is happening to you Gillybob.
It is not fair or justifiable what the Pension Regulator are doing to you. They are not even following their own guidance and regulatory code! Under normal circumstances (Covid-19 has extended the time period) you have 90 days ! Under applying for a review of a fine you have what constitutes as a reasonable excuse, in fact more than one! They are not allowing you to follow Section 3 of Code 05 of the Regulations but treating you as if you haven't! They are the ones breaching as far as I can see. Don't let them get away with it without quoting their own "reasonable excuses" at them because they themselves are being unreasonable.
There, I've got that off my chest, I am just so infuriated with them Gillybob. Sending you hugs and ?

Susan ?

Gillybob, I have pm'd you.

I agree with those who have suggested that perhaps Gransnet could try to help Gillybob (with her consent, obviously) by drawing attention to this injustice in some way!

Thank you for your very Informative post CherryCezzy.

I am going to look up their guidance and regulatory codes just as soon as I have finished typing this. I did look them up on twitter and they say that they are extending the time period but only if the delay has been caused by Covid 19 . I cannot blame that for being late last October and November can I ?

Sorry for boring everyone to death with this but I have already provided them with the “evidence” that the payments were all paid up to date just as soon as I realised I had missed them . Just as they asked I sent bank statements and printed screen shots of the contribution pages . From speaking to the lady yesterday I got the distinct impression that they had not even looked at my evidence and she said pretty much said that my DH being seriously ill and on life support did not constitute a reason for failing to upload in time . I tried to explain that I was left running everything on my own and she said “who would normally upload the contributions”? And I had to say “me” because that’s the truth . I have no defence except that I had so much on my mind that I forgot . That’s it .

Off to look up “reasonable excuses” . I was wondering if it might be worth sending them a copy of my DH’s hospital report Or even a dated photo of him on life support although I am extremely reluctant to do so.

Thank you everyone again. You are all so very kind.

I really wouldn’t expect Gransnet HQ to get involved with this sort of thing . It is my own personal fight after all and at the end of the day my own fault that this has happened . Forgetting is a poor excuse as far as the “authorities” are concerned and I don’t think my mitigating circumstances make a fig of difference .

It just beggars belief the way that things were for you last year and into this year Gillybob---then the bloomin' virus just to add insult to injury.
I'd like to have seen anyone continue the way you did, in and out of the hospital work, shopping for your dad and running the children to school----among other things. Anyone else would have folded let alone keeping an eye on paperwork etc.

Too many jobsworths around without an ounce of sympathy or understanding until these things happen to them then they expect everyone to run round after them. Their whole world caves in with far less than happened to you.

Gillybob you will no doubt see it on the Regulator's site but if not - Covid-19 extended the time period from 90 days to 150 days.

To stop the time/fine running, gilly you need to apply to the Pensions Regulator for a Review within 28 days of the date of the Notice you have received. Not sure what you have received, but doubtless there is a heading on the paper which will make that clear.

Interestingly, and predictably, there is a notice on their site saying that there is a delay of 6 weeks for such reviews to be processed. Well, that will be 6 weeks in which you won't be expected to pay anything or anything further.

After they have completed their review, you can then appeal the decision, if necessary, to a Tribunal.

One of the reasons which will be considered in their review as a possible "excuse" for non-payment would be long term illness or bereavement - or maybe it was life-threatening - sorry I am not quoting this, just trying to remember what I read. Yes, that involving yourself or a key member of staff. The person you spoke to on the phone will be most unlikely to be involved in your problems or your review and will not remember what you said on the telephone recently, in your distress, so don't worry you will be able to phrase your reasons much better and with greater clarity than speaking to a person on the end of a 'phone who is only capable of ticking a box, or not. Certainly she won't be able to make any decisions concerning whether you should be paying a fine or not. As long as you contact them with the details needed to start a review, you will be able to relax a little knowing that the amount isn't accruing on a daily basis!

Good post for gillybob, Grandmafrench. I think there's a reference to hospitalisation of a key member of staff, if I'm not mistaken.

What a nightmare, Cherry. It's probably one of those situations where, because of a lack of sympathy, empathy or ability for any Government employee to use anything other than a yes/no checklist, gilly will have to be prepared to just tough it out and keep on going until she gets a result! I could never feel that lockdown was sufficiently boring to relish a sparring match with the Pensions Regulator, but if that's what must happen, then hopefully Mrs bobs will find her last reserves of strength and go for it. Hope so. Otherwise, it's just so unfair and unjust.

Hope you are feeling a bit better today and your new padded wall kept you safe! x

*Grandmafrench you are absolutely right it is a nightmare for gillybob. I wouldn't relish a fight either but I can be a tenacious so and so if I think that an injustice has taken place, especially when an organisation has not applied their own guidance or codes.
On a lighter note, my eyebrows were raised when I read your post this morning when you wrote " new DH shirts". I thought oh.. when did you get a new husband and does Mr French know ?