Missed pensions probe launched

Anger after the company folded with no warning to staff or customers

The Racing School Ltd, the company running Three Sisters Race Circuit which folded back in May, is once again in the firing line after missing numerous pension payments before it went bust.

Former employees, who were made redundant with no warning, have received letters from their pension provider “Nest” to say that the company had been reported to The Pensions Regulator.

One ex-employee said: “I’ve not had my p45 or redundancy letter.I checked back and my pension money has been taken out but not payed since last October. It is an absolute outrage. I don’t know how they are getting away with this. It is so deceptive. Other staff have rung me with no clue what is going on.”

The Racing School has come under fire before for failing to inform customers of its liquidation, seeing some people travel as far as Australia to take part in non-existent track days.

The letter, written by Nest said that the report was made because after several reminders they either “haven’t paid contributions on time” or they failed to notify them that contributions were not due to be paid. It adds: “This breached their legal duty as an employer.”

A spokersperson at The Pensions Regulator said: “For the small minority of employers who fail to comply with the law, we will use our statutory powers where appropriate including issuing fixed and escalating penalty fines. We have now seen the first employers receive County Court Judgements for failing to pay their automatic enrolment fines. We urge employers not to put their head in the sand. We are here to help you get back on track. Don’t wait for a fine.”

Campaign group Save Three Sisters, said: “We think this recent disgusting revelation of pension contributions being misappropriated is abhorrent. Not only have the staff been working very hard to keep the circuit operating within the fringes of the regulations. They have been hit with this additional blow. There needs to be a serious spotlight onto how this company and its directors have been conducting themselves.”