I am not a HR professional – but perhaps you can help.

I am a pensioner and receive my monthly payslip in the post. However, it is clearly a payslip and probably vulnerable to intercept and theft. Much of the data in the payslip is blanked out – but potential thieves obviously wouldn’t know that. I am also aware that payslips can be used as proof of ID for some Financial products, making them “desirable” for identity theft.

I am talking to my Pension Administrators but they tell me that sending payslips not in an envelope is “standard practice” in the industry. I am not aware of the current “standard practice” but this procedure seems to be a very likely source for ID theft.

Is sending payslips in the post without plain envelopes “standard practice”? Should the industry be advised to change the practice by putting payslips in envelopes?

I have been retired for 7 years – I have only had 1 payslip go missing in that time BUT this is a “red hot” topic at the moment. Perhaps pensioners are one of only a few groups that will get payslips by post and perhaps they need some extra protection.

DW