Staff pensions left unpaid by city company

Workers at Dundee construction firm McGill have been informed that payments taken from their wages have not been paid into pension schemes.

The Harrison Road business has filed a notice of intention to appoint administrators with the Court of Session.

But several workers have contacted The Courier to question where their employee contributions have gone.

Funds should have been paid into pots maintained by the People’s Pension.

But it has told employees it has not received contributions since April.

It is now preparing to report McGill to the Pensions Regulator.

The letter to workers states: “Your employer must pay contributions into your pension pot each time you’re paid (if you meet certain criteria).

“These contributions are usually made up from money deducted from your wages and money from your employer. Your employer has not paid contributions for you for April 2022.

“If your employer does not make payment and contributions become overdue by more than 90 days we will report them to the Pensions Regulator.”

McGill previously went into administration in January 2019, when around 400 staff lost their jobs.

When approached, McGill did not respond to questions about the missing pension payments.

The business is owned by investment group United Capital, controlled by Dundee couple Graeme and Leanne Carling.

McGill Facilities Management – which is still trading – covers the brands of McGill, Alliance Electrical and Kingdom Gas. It blamed “working capital” troubles on its bank withdrawing support.

A spokesperson for United Capital said: “The management team at McGill continue to work with a specialist corporate restructuring firm to find the best outcome. The business continues to communicate with all employees during this difficult time.”

The People’s Pension said it contacts employers when they are 30, 60 and 90 days in arrears.

A spokesperson said: “When the employer is 90 days in arrears, the letter explains we’ll be reporting them to the Pensions Regulator and notifying their employees, which we have done in this case.

“If the company goes into administration we will then pass the case to our insolvency team.

“They will provide all the necessary information to ensure employees receive the overdue contributions.”

A spokesperson for the Pensions Regulator said: “We do not comment on individual pension schemes or employers unless appropriate to do so.”

The Pensions Ombudsman said: “If an employee thinks that contributions are missing, they should contact

their employer.”

STRUGGLES: McGill could go into administration again. Picture by Mhairi Edwards.