How do I track down pension details?

Q. I am nearing retirement age and have lost details of my workplace pensions. Is there any way to find this information? A. If an employee has left a pension scheme and wishes to obtain details about it later, they may be able to get help from the following: a trade union or staff association or the HM Revenue and Customs National Insurance Contributions Office (NICO) Contracted-out Employment Group, if the pension scheme is contracted out of additional pension or from April 2005, the Department for Work and Pensions.

From 6 April 2005, the Department for Work and Pensions will take responsibility for providing the Pension Tracing Service. This service will be delivered through the Pension Service and is aimed at helping people trace their unclaimed pension benefits.

The Pension Tracing Service has access to a database of details of over 200,000 occupational pension schemes, and can be used, free of charge, to search for a scheme. The database does not include pension schemes which were wound up before April 1991, or which pre-date 1975.

If an individual wishes to trace a pension scheme, they should compete the appropriate pension tracing request form. This can be obtained in writing, over the telephone or by e-mail. On completing the trace request, the response will be sent in writing to the individual.

The Pension Tracing Service can be contacted at: Pension Tracing Service, The Pension Service 9, Mail Handling Site A, Wolverhampton, WV98 1LU, by phone on 0800 731 0193 or Website: www.gov.uk/ find-lost-pension

Q. I am a tenant and my flat needs repaired. What can I do to get the repairs done?

A. You should report defects as soon as possible.

The landlord is not liable for repairs until they have been informed of the defect, unless they could reasonably be expected to know of the need for the repair.

In an emergency, for example, a burst water pipe or broken central heating in winter, you should telephone the landlord but also back it up in writing.

You should report the need for a repair in writing to the landlord, or a representative like a letting agent.

You should keep a copy of the letter or email.

The letter or email should include: the date, if it’s a letter, an explanation of what’s in need of repair, pictures of the damage/condition, a request for repair or replacement, a request for a response within a period of time if they’re a private tenant or the repair isn’t covered by the Right to Repair scheme – 14 days is usually reasonable, a reminder of a public sector tenant’s right to have certain repairs carried out within a specified time if it’s covered by the Right to Repair scheme.

You have a right to know the name and address of their landlord, or the landlord’s representative. If you don’t have this information, you can find it out.

If the landlord is a local council, the landlord must inform the tenant of their rights under the Right to Repair scheme and give them information about time limits for repairs.

Q. I am in a civil partnership and have been told I am now able to marry my partner. How do I arrange this?

A. It is possible for a couple to convert a qualifying civil partnership to marriage. A civil partnership will qualify for conversion to a marriage if it was registered in Scotland and hasn’t been dissolved, annulled or ended by death.

This can be done through a simple administrative process or by having a full marriage ceremony.

A civil partnership that was registered at a British consulate overseas or by British armed forces personnel may also qualify for conversion if you elected Scotland as the relevant part of the UK when you entered into the civil partnership and its details were sent to the Registrar General of Scotland.

This can be done through a simple administrative process or by having a full marriage ceremony.

Or a civil partnership that was registered outside of Scotland will qualify for conversion to a marriage if it hasn’t been dissolved, annulled or ended by death.

To change a civil partnership registered outside of Scotland into a marriage a couple will need to go through a marriage ceremony. The marriage will be recognised in Scotland.

Full eligibility details and guidance for couples can be found on the National Records of Scotland website.

To convert a civil partnership to marriage through the administrative process, the couple will need to make an appointment with their local registry office and take along a copy of their civil partnership certificate and photo ID.

They will be required to complete an application form.

The district registrar will witness the signing of the form by the couple and will also sign the form.

The information will then be entered in the marriage register.

There will be a charge of £10 if the couple want a printed copy of the marriage certificate.

If a couple want to convert a civil partnership to marriage by having a full marriage ceremony, they will have to give the usual notice and pay the fees associated with registering a marriage.

When a couple convert their civil partnership to marriage, the civil partnership will end (for the purposes of the law of Scotland) on the conversion.

The couple will be treated as having been married to each other since the date on which the civil partnership was registered or from 5 December 2005, whichever is the later.

The application form and guidance on changing a civil partnership to a marriage is on the National Records of Scotland website.

Q. I’ve heard of the Child Disability Payment and think my son would qualify. What are the rules on applying?

A. Child Disability Payment is a benefit for disabled children and young people who live in Scotland.

It’s a payment to help with the extra costs of being disabled or having a longterm health condition. It’s paid by Social Security Scotland.

Child Disability Payment has replaced Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for children and young people who live in Scotland.

To get Child Disability Payment, a child must: live in Scotland or another qualifying country and be under 16 at the time of the application and have a disability or health condition that has lasted for at least 13 weeks and is expected to continue for the next 26 weeks, unless they’re terminally ill and meet some residence and immigration rules.

You can apply for a child if you’re their parent or the person responsible for them, for example their grandparent, adult sibling or kinship carer.

You cannot get Child Disability Payment for a child who gets: DLA for children or Personal Independence Payment (PIP) or Adult Disability Payment or Armed Forces Independence Payment.

A child must be under 16 when you apply for Child Disability Payment for them.

If they’re 16 or older, they might be able to claim Adult Disability Payment instead. The care component is paid if a child needs increased attention, supervision or watching over.

You can get the care component for a child if they’re aged three months or older. If a child is terminally ill, you can apply for them from birth.

The rate paid will depend on the level of care and supervision a child needs because they’re disabled or have a health condition.

A child must need a lot more help or supervision than would be usual for someone their age.

For example, all babies and infants need a lot of care, but you could get the care component if your child needs a lot more help and supervision than a child of the same age who isn’t disabled and doesn’t have a health condition.

This rule doesn’t apply if a child is terminally ill or if they’re 16 or older.

To get the care component, a child must: meet the conditions for at least 13 weeks, and be likely to continue meeting the conditions for the next 26 weeks – unless they’re terminally ill.

The child does not need to have a formal diagnosis to get the care component.

The mobility component is paid if a child is disabled or has a health condition and this affects their ability to move around outdoors.

They might have physical problems walking or need extra guidance or supervision.

A child might qualify for the lower rate if they: are five years or older and can walk, and are so severely disabled, either physically or mentally, that they need guidance or supervision from another person most of the time when moving around outdoors in an unfamiliar place.

A child might be eligible for the higher rate if they’re three years or older and: they’re unable or virtually unable to walk outdoors or their health would get much worse from the effort required to walk or they have no legs or feet, even if they use artificial limbs or other aids to walk or they have a severe visual impairment or they’re both blind and deaf or they have a severe mental impairment with severe behavioural difficulties and qualify for the highest rate of the care component, or they’re terminally ill.

You can apply: online by completing an application form at mygov.scot; or by phone by calling Social Security Scotland free on 0800 182 2222, Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm; or by post, you can phone to ask for a paper form with a pre-paid envelope; or face to face, an adviser from Social Security Scotland’s local delivery service can help you apply. Phone 0800 182 2222 to make an appointment.

If you’re a British Sign Language (BSL) user, you can use the contactSCOTLAND app to contact Social Security Scotland by video relay.

■ PLEASE NOTE: Rutherglen & Cambuslang Citizens Advice Bureau is available for telephone/email advice.

They are also open for drop in at the main office on a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 10am until 3pm.