[GillParticipant]

Some of you may remember a Rant Over Banks I had some time ago. Stephen realised that, being diagnosed with mm at 53, he was highly unlikely to be in a position to claim his state pension at 65 and, because it was terminal, he could ask for the contributions he had paid into his private pension to be reimbursed.

Our bank (the one we had been with since God wore short trousers). The one we had mortgages, savings, business accounts, insurances, assurances etc. with, told Stephen that, unless he could produce a letter saying that he would be dead in 12 months they would not release any monies

Stephen?s oncologist (Dr. Shaffi) obviously could not write such a letter and we were quite pleased. Not with the bank, but for the fact that there maybe more hope after 12 months.

Indeed his first SCT lasted 16 months but his 2nd SCT failed and he is quite poorly. Dr Shaffi said when Stephen saw him last time that, without Stephen asking, he had written a letter to our bank explaining that there was only a 50/50 chance that Stephen would survive a further year.

Well Stephen got a phone call from the bank yesterday (nice to get the personal touch isn?t it)? He was informed that, because the odds aren?t short enough they won?t pay out. Let?s face if folks Stephen is not dying quick enough to get anything. Because of the bank?s mismanagement it would only be a fraction of what should have been in his ?pot? and does not reflect what he has put in himself (it got up to £800 pcm at one stage).

The advice I am asking is where would be the best Newspaper, Radio station etc to take this too? I want to take it anywhere and everywhere

I am spitting blood and feathers and I want to be spitting the bones of HSBC into the public arena.

HSBC seem determined that, should they ever hand Stephen back his money I repeat HIS MONEY THAT IS MONEY BELONGING TO STEPHEN DAVID NASH NOT HSBC he will never have the opportunity to spend a penny

[brochoParticipant]

Hi Gill I cannot believe the arrogance of these banks!! No wonder you are spitting feathers how dare they treat you like that after years of being loyal customers! If I remember rightly HSBC are runnning a tv ad campaign based on meeting local needs Perhaps you could start with your local paer and radio station stressing the local angle They may be able to advise you how to spread the word further afield I really hope you can shame the b—–rs into giving Stephen what is rightfully his love Bridget x ps what about contacting Macmillan press office too ?

[eveParticipant]

Hi Gill

Daily mail Wednesday Money Mail you look for Page 55
E mail asktony@dailymail.co.uk
daytime phone number postal address and separate not addressed to the .offending organisation:-)
Hope this helps. Eve

[anndParticipant]

Hi Gill
Sorry to read you are having hassle over the pension.There is a site http://www.pensions-ombudsman.org.uk that might be worth looking at, you can complain to them.
Thinking of you both Annx

[zasrsParticipant]

Dear Gill
Thank you, I have just make a beautiful, lumb free white sauce! I was so angry reading you post I took it out on the sauce, how dare the banks play fast and loose with OUR money, they are so arrogant, uncaring, taking OUR money and doing as they see fit wasting it in dodey deals then whining because thier bonus is so small 1/2 a million instead of 3 million etc. The Daily Telegraph have a jouralist called Jessica who takes up money problems, trouble is I think they are not fast in repling, but it could be worth a try, banks do not like bad press.
Good luck the total b…………s
Sarah xx

[RozParticipant]

Hi Gill,
Sorry about the hassle your having… Michael had the same problem with his personal pention at work. They sent him a letter telling him he could have a 2yr pention instead of the full 40 yrs he put in. I went mad. I wrote to everyone I could, told his boss what I thought of him that Michael was fighting for his life and he is not up to fighting them as well but I would take them on.
Here are some web sites
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Pensionsandretirementplanning
http://www.pensionsandannuities.co.uk
[PDF] Ill-health early retirement
Adobe PDF – View as html
I am ill and I have lost my job – can I get an ill-health pension from my company? Losing your job because of ill-health or disability does not mean that you are automatically …
http://www.pensionsadvisoryservice.org.uk/media/82790/ill...

All the best
Roz xx

[MinParticipant]

Dear Gill,
there is a BBC programme Rip Of Britain with angela rippon gloria honeyford and they are worth a try.
then there is BBC watchdog programme they love this kind of thing.
In the meanwhile does Stephen get Disability living allowance? if not he should as well as the Motability side of it.
peter got all of it and his Macmillan nurse was really good at getting him a terminal illness form filled in so no waiting for them to make a decision. Once you have one of them you could forward it to the Bank.
See his GP they are usualy much better at this kind of thing than Consultants.
We had a similar thing happen with an insurance policy that would not pay his life insurance early. It matured 2 months before he died and would have been double if he had died before it matured.
I wish you the best of luck and if all else fails i suggest the insurance ombudsman as a back up to any letters you send.
Fingers crossed for you dear
Min
ps is this the same consultant who commited himself to telling Stephen to put his affairs in order a while ago? What changed his mind ?

[jmsmythParticipant]

Dear Gill

Just read your post. It is unbelievable what these banks think they can get away with. I agree with Min, I would say get Anne Robinson from BBC Watchdog onto them. They appear to be quick and Anne would tear any Rep to shreds.

Hope you get it sorted.
Love Jean. xx

[DaiCroParticipant]

Hi Gill,

The i, its big sister The Independent, The Guardian, the Telegraph… are the papers for this sort of story. They all have online versions and every one of them has contact details listed online. Either ring the news-desk or perhaps better still (it is easier to collect and collate your thoughts in writing) send an email with your story and your contact details (email, home phone and one mobile). Keep a copy of your email handy (plus any other details, names no's etc.,) in case somebody from one of the newspapers rings you, you will find it easier to marshall your thoughts and responses with some hard facts and figures to respond to. The journalists will know what to ask so be led by them (there is a big difference in their attitude when they are seeking a story and you are not the protagonist).

By all means contact the TV shows… but for a quick response the papers are the way to go and anything in print will help in your efforts to get your story on TV.

News Desks:

newseditor@independent.co.uk
national@guardian.co.uk

… for starters – the Telegraph has a full list of journalists but no general news-desk (that I could find) buy one of the financial journalists might be a good idea. Make sure you put it for the attention of the printed paper not the online version when you go seeking contacts (the two above are direct print contacts).

Best of luck

Dai.

[Author]

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