I have been contacted by a number of constituents in Newport East who have been directly affected, and I am deeply concerned by the difficulties many are facing in obtaining information, contacting Capita, and receiving pension payments after retirement. I fully recognise the anxiety this has caused and, for some, the severe financial hardship.
If you are personally affected, please provide your full name, address, National Insurance number, date of birth, and a brief explanation of how this issue is impacting you. I will then be able to contact the MP hotline at Capita on your behalf.
Alternatively, you may also contact Capita directly:
Urgent queries: call the helpline on 0300 123 6666
Less urgent matters: use the “Contact Us” form on the Civil Service Pensions website: www.civilservicepensionscheme.org.uk
This week, the government has announced Civil servants who have been left in financial hardship because of delays receiving their pensions will be offered interest-free loans of up to £10,000. Let me know if you want further information on this.
My colleague Nick Thomas Symonds MP, Minister for the Cabinet Office considers that resolving this is a matter of urgency and has taken steps together with Capita to address this unacceptable situation including the following:
- Urgent cases have been prioritised, including death‑in‑service cases, ill‑health retirements, and instances of financial hardship.
- Over 150 additional staff have been deployed by Capita to help clear inherited backlogs and speed up processing.
- The Cabinet Office is working with departments to put in place interim support measures for those facing financial hardship due to delayed pension payments.
- Over the coming weeks, members will regain access to key online tools such as Track My Case and Retire Online, and 2025/26 Annual Benefit Statements will be made available on the portal.
- Government officials are meeting weekly with trade union pension experts to ensure proper oversight.
- Ministers have also made clear that all contractual options remain on the table if Capita does not meet agreed recovery milestones.
- The Minister has confirmed that existing pensioners continue to be paid on time, and that Capita expects to restore service levels for the most urgent cases by the end of February, with further recovery to follow.
I appreciate how distressing and frustrating this experience has been for all those who have given many years of dedicated public service. I will continue to monitor this situation closely and press for rapid improvements. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you need further assistance.