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Alcohol and drug abuse capable of being properly regarded as “ill-health”

United Kingdom
22/05/2007
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Reference: Q00750

The rules provided for ill-health pension to be payable where “ill-health” (undefined) was proved to the satisfaction of the trustees. The pension could be reduced or reviewed where the member failed to produce such evidence of “continued ill-health” as the trustees might in their discretion require from time to time. The trustees decided to discontinue the member’s ill-health pension on the grounds that it was only the member’s abuse of prescription drugs and alcohol that prevented him being fit for work.



The Deputy Ombudsman noted that the trustees did not consider a self-imposed condition to fall within the definition of “ill-health”. However, he criticised them for having assumed that alcoholism was a matter of choice: “There can be no doubt that alcohol and prescription drug abuse are health related matters and I can see no evidence that proper regard has been had to whether such addictions are not in themselves “illnesses” which might therefore properly be regarded as “ill health” matters”.



In the absence of evidence that the trustees had properly considered whether these conditions amounted to ill-health, he directed that they re-consider Mr X’s application to have his ill-health pension restored.


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