ShareSoc Launches Campaign to Address Hartley Pensions Scandal

Despite our best efforts to bring individual cases to the FCA’s attention, progress in resolving the Hartley Pensions administration remains unacceptably slow for most Hartley clients.  
We are now launching a formal Campaign to apply more pressure to bring this matter to a conclusion. 

Hartley Pensions, a SIPP and SSAS administrator, was placed into insolvency administration in July 2022. A key objective of the administration is to transfer clients’ accounts to alternative providers, so that clients regain full control over their pensions.  

 Of over 16,000 accounts (some of which were of negligible value), administrators UHY confirm that only 2,636 accounts had been transferred as at 3rd October 2025. We have also received numerous reports from clients indicating that the queries and issues they raised with Hartley have not been satisfactorily addressed, as at 3rd October 2025 – more than 3 years into the administration.  

 The glacial pace of progress and pervasive lack of responsiveness are completely unacceptable and are a source of worry and frustration for affected SIPP and SSAS holders.  

 Our campaign will be led by a steering group primarily comprised of Hartley clients. Subject to agreement by the steering group, we believe that the most effective way to apply pressure is by referring the matter to parliamentary authorities who oversee the FCA and the financial services industry. We also intend to publicise the scandal via the media. 

 We will also request parliament to review the statutes and regulations surrounding insolvent regulated firms, so that a scandal such as this can’t be repeated. 

 The Campaign supports all Hartley clients, whether they are ShareSoc members or not. Further details of our campaign can be found here. 

History 

In January 2023, one of ShareSoc’s members asked for our assistance. At that time an informal client committee was being created by the Joint Administrators, two UHY insolvency practitioners. Mark Bentley, a ShareSoc director, was appointed to the committee to represent our members and Hartley clients more broadly.  

The principal purpose of this committee was to agree the mechanism for funding the costs of the Administration. The mechanism was finally agreed in February 2024, with the FSCS eventually accepting responsibility for the administration costs (for SIPP holders but not for SSAS holders). 

During 2024, we received many complaints and concerns from Hartley clients so in December 2024 we established a “Hartley Client Support Group”, with the purpose of bringing individual complaints and concerns to the attention of the FCA. The FCA has co-operated with ShareSoc and has pressed Hartley for answers but, unfortunately, many of the concerns have still not been satisfactorily addressed. 

Considering also the ever-lengthening delays in transferring client accounts, we believe that now is the right time to apply more pressure. 

To support our campaign and help us advocate more effectively on behalf of Hartley clients, we encourage you to register for full membership of ShareSoc. Membership not only strengthens our collective voice when engaging with regulators and parliament, but also provides access to valuable resources, updates, and opportunities to participate in shaping the campaign’s direction. 

Read more about the Campaign and join here. 

Alternatively, or if you’d like to go a step further, a donation of any size will help us amplify your voice and continue this vital work. 

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