A widow from Glasgow says she has been left distressed after waiting nine months to receive her late husband’s civil service pension benefits. Kay Donald has repeatedly contacted Capita, the company responsible for administering the Civil Service Pension Scheme, but has yet to receive any payments.
Family Struggles After Sudden Loss
Kay Donald’s husband, Barry, died unexpectedly in September, just days before the couple’s 34th wedding anniversary.
Barry had worked for Social Security Scotland for five years and spent more than two decades working for Asda before that. Following his death, Kay completed all the necessary paperwork to begin claiming his pension benefits.
Despite submitting the required documents, she says she is still waiting for a resolution.
Kay’s Efforts to Secure Pension Payments
Kay has made numerous attempts to resolve the issue by:
- Calling Capita several times
- Sending emails and letters
- Filing formal complaints
- Seeking assistance from her MSP
- Contacting a solicitor
She says the company continues to request documents she has already provided, creating additional stress during an already difficult time.
Problems Continue Following Capita Takeover
Capita took over administration of the Civil Service Pension Scheme in December.
The scheme serves approximately 1.7 million members, making it one of the largest public sector pension schemes in the United Kingdom.
Since the takeover, thousands of members have reported delays with:
- Pension payments
- Lump-sum settlements
- Online account access
- Customer service support
Impact on Pension Scheme Members
Many retirees have experienced financial uncertainty while waiting for pension payments to be processed.
Some members have delayed retirement plans, while others have struggled to manage household expenses due to payment delays.
Another Family Faces Similar Difficulties
The family of Elaine Muirhead also experienced significant challenges while trying to access pension benefits after her sudden death.
Elaine worked for Fair Start Scotland and passed away at the age of 55. read more
Her family submitted the required paperwork but received conflicting information from Capita regarding additional documents.
Confusion Over Required Documentation
Rachel Shankland, Elaine’s daughter, said different representatives provided different instructions about what documents were needed.
The family was initially told they required legal documentation from a solicitor, only to later discover it was unnecessary.
They also received paperwork intended for another family, adding to the confusion and frustration.
Growing Backlog Creates Major Challenges
Capita has acknowledged that it inherited a much larger workload than expected when it assumed responsibility for the pension scheme.
The company anticipated around 37,000 outstanding cases but instead inherited more than 86,000.
Backlog Continues to Increase
By February, the backlog had grown to more than 120,000 cases.
In response, the UK government introduced a recovery plan that included:
- Additional government staff support
- Extra Capita employees
- Emergency interest-free loans for affected members
The goal is to reduce delays and restore normal service levels.
Government Criticises Capita’s Performance
Government ministers have expressed concerns about Capita’s handling of the pension scheme transition.
Officials said the company failed to meet key targets and has not delivered the expected level of service. know more
Concerns Over Financial Hardship
Ministers highlighted reports of pension members:
- Missing mortgage payments
- Facing financial hardship
- Experiencing significant stress
- Delaying retirement plans
The government described these situations as unacceptable and called for improvements.
Capita Apologises for Ongoing Delays
Capita has apologised for the disruption and frustration caused by the delays.
The company says it has increased staffing levels and is working closely with the government to improve performance.
Measures Being Taken to Improve Services
According to Capita, efforts currently underway include:
- Adding trained staff
- Processing urgent cases first
- Reducing the backlog
- Improving customer support services
The company acknowledged the anxiety caused to affected families and apologised for the ongoing problems.
Union Calls for Government Action
Fran Heathcote, General Secretary of the PCS Union, says thousands of civil servants have been affected by pension administration failures.
She argues that many workers who planned to retire cannot do so because they are uncertain when their pension payments will arrive.
Calls to Bring Pension Administration Back In-House
The union believes the government should reconsider outsourcing the service to Capita.
According to Heathcote:
- Capita has failed to meet expectations.
- Confidence in the company’s ability to resolve the crisis remains low.
- Taxpayers are funding emergency support measures.
- Pension administration should return to direct government control.
As pressure continues to grow, affected families are calling for faster action to resolve delays and restore confidence in the Civil Service Pension Scheme.