A GP practice manager failed to pay more than £75,000 into the NHS Pension Scheme, despite deducting employee contributions.
Sonia Simkins ran Hawes Lane Surgery in Rowley Regis in the West Midlands prior to its closure in July 2024, after a bankruptcy order was made against her.
Following the order, an investigation by the Official Receiver found Simkins had deducted pension contributions from employees’ wages but failed to pay the money into the NHS Pension Scheme.
Between August 2019 and December 2020, and June 2023 and June 2024, Simkins should have paid £76,868 into the NHS Pension Scheme for staff, however, she only contributed £1,722. During this period, she deducted more than £25,000 from employees’ salaries for pension contributions and failed to pay more than £50,000 of employer contributions.
The Official Receiver’s investigations have been unable to confirm exactly what happened to the money. At the time of the practice’s closure, it employed 10 members of staff.
David Chapman, senior official receiver at the Insolvency Service, said: “Sonia Simkins deducted pension contributions from her staff’s wages, but failed to pay more than £75,000 into the NHS pension fund, while the closure of Hawes Lane Surgery had an immediate impact on staff and patients in Rowley Regis.
“Following an Insolvency Service investigation by the Official Receiver, Simkins accepted her misconduct. The BRU will prevent her from acting as a company director or starting a new company until April 2032.”
