Pensions Ombudsman to take pro-active legal role after liberation court battle

Hughes v Royal London decided in February

Jenna Towler
clock • 1 min read

The Pensions Ombudsman is to increase its participation in legal appeals due to the outcome of the Royal London liberation case earlier this year.

The contentious decision, in Hughes v Royal London, ended up in the High Court after the provider blocked a suspect pension transfer. The Pension Ombudsman had originally ruled in favour of Royal London, however, the case was successfully appealed to the High Court which overturned that decision. Legal experts said in February the outcome left savers at "greater risk" from pension scams. The Pensions Ombudsman, Anthony Arter, said the case made him reconsider the office's position of rarely getting involved in legal disputes. Previously it only got involved if an appeal raised questio...

To continue reading this article...

Join Professional Adviser for free

  • Unlimited access to real-time news, industry insights and market intelligence
  • Stay ahead of the curve with spotlights on emerging trends and technologies
  • Receive breaking news stories straight to your inbox in the daily newsletters
  • Make smart business decisions with the latest developments in regulation, investing retirement and protection
  • Members-only access to the editor’s weekly Friday commentary
  • Be the first to hear about our events and awards programmes

Join

 

Already a Professional Adviser member?

Login

More on Pensions

Self-employed face retirement saving 'obstacle course'

Self-employed face retirement saving 'obstacle course'

‘Structural gap’ in participation between employees and self-employed

Martin Richmond
clock 22 September 2026 • 4 min read
Guaranteed income integration critical to guided retirement success

Guaranteed income integration critical to guided retirement success

Research finds annuitisation rates of 55% to 60% are possible without compulsion

Jonathan Stapleton
clock 16 September 2026 • 5 min read
DWP seeks small pension pot default consolidator solution

DWP seeks small pension pot default consolidator solution

Government aims to have small pot consolidation operational from 2030

Jonathan Stapleton
clock 15 September 2026 • 2 min read