Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to UIN 116915, how regularly are Capita reporting the number of outstanding backlog Civil Service Pension cases to the Cabinet Office.

The Cabinet Office awarded the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme to Capita in November 2023 under the previous government.

Capita provides the Cabinet Office with data regarding the number of outstanding Civil Service Pension backlog cases on a weekly basis. This regular reporting ensures the Department maintains continuous oversight of performance levels and progress against recovery targets. We have agreed a clear recovery plan with Capita, which includes specific milestones and accountability targets for delivery. For priority cases, we have deployed additional resources and improved communication with affected colleagues, so that staff, both former and serving, receive the quality of service and support they deserve. The recovery plan is organised into intensive three-week sprints to stabilise the service.

We are applying contractual levers available to us to deal with performance failures, and we continue to explore all commercial avenues to hold them to account for the quality of their delivery. For example, existing Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) have been enhanced and strengthened to deliver improved performance and higher penalties for failure, including financial penalties. These have already applied in respect to Capita’s performance with recent issues and delays in administering the Civil Service Pension Scheme.

Further details are available by using this web link (latest update 16 March):

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-pension-recovery-plan-updates/civil-service-pension-recovery-plan-update-16-march-2026