Imagine discovering that your late spouse’s hard-earned pension contributions vanished into thin air. This is the heartbreaking reality for Nancy Dunnachie, whose husband, William, dedicated 32 years to Morton’s Rolls Limited, a once-iconic bakery in Scotland. But here’s where it gets even more infuriating: despite deductions from his wages, the company failed to pay into his pension scheme for months—even years—before collapsing in 2023. And this is the part most people miss: public funds are now being used to plug these gaps, leaving taxpayers to foot the bill for a company’s alleged mismanagement.
Nancy, 65, vividly recalls her husband’s frustration: ‘He kept saying they were a ‘shower of rogues,’’ she told BBC Scotland, sifting through a stack of letters from Standard Life, their pension provider. Each letter, spanning 2020 to 2023, bore the same grim message: ‘Payment expected from your employer was not received.’ Yet, William’s payslips clearly showed deductions for his pension. ‘Where is that money?’ Nancy asks, a question echoed by countless former Morton’s employees.
But here’s where it gets controversial: While the UK Insolvency Service has confirmed that National Insurance funds will cover the missing contributions, many are asking why taxpayers should bear the burden of a company’s alleged fraud. Shouldn’t those responsible be held accountable? And what about the emotional toll on families like Nancy’s? William, affectionately known as Wullie, died of a heart attack in 2022 while awaiting redundancy payments—money that only arrived last month after a two-year legal battle.
Alan Love, another former driver with 32 years at Morton’s, shares a similar story. ‘It gets taken off my wages every week, so you tell me where it went,’ he told the BBC, pointing to a Standard Life statement showing gaps in payments from December 2021 to January 2023. ‘You’re playing catch-up, then mega catch-up, and then the place goes bust. That isn’t right.’*
Here’s the kicker: Despite employees like Alan contacting the Pensions Regulator (TPR) before the collapse, little was done to prevent the crisis. TPR’s response? ‘We do not comment on individual cases.’ Meanwhile, 98 workers fought a two-year court battle for redundancy payouts, which were finally approved last week. Paul Kissen, their solicitor, estimates they’ll share £500,000—all from the National Insurance Fund. But the fight isn’t over. Kissen is now pursuing a ‘protective award’ for Morton’s failure to consult employees before redundancies, potentially totaling £1 million.
And this is the part most people miss: While the legal process has provided some relief, it’s far from perfect. ‘The impact of waiting so long is unsatisfactory,’ Kissen notes. ‘If there was a way to expedite this for so many people, that would be the best outcome.’*
So, here’s the question: Is the system failing workers like William and Alan, or is this the best we can expect in cases of corporate collapse? Share your thoughts in the comments—let’s spark a conversation about accountability, fairness, and the human cost of financial mismanagement.
