£75k missing | Manager deducts money from staff wages but fails to pay it into pension scheme

A GP practice manager who failed to pay more than £75,000 into the pension funds of staff at her surgery now faces seven years of bankruptcy restrictions.

Sonia Simkins ran Hawes Lane Surgery in Rowley Regis as a sole trader. But in July 2024, the practice closed after a bankruptcy order was made against her.

Following the order, an investigation by the Official Receiver found Simkins, 54, had deducted pension contributions from staff wages, but failed to pay the money into the NHS Pension Scheme.

Investigations by the Official Receiver have been unable to confirm exactly what happened to the money.