Summary
Capita, the company responsible for managing Civil Service pensions, is facing a large backlog of cases that has caused delays in pension payments to retirees. Since taking over in December, the backlog has increased, and retirees like Julie Morton and Hazel Cranstoun are struggling due to delayed payments. Capita is working to resolve the issue by hiring more staff and providing emergency loans.
Key Facts
- Capita is managing the Civil Service Pension Scheme and facing a backlog of 120,000 cases.
- Initially, Capita had a backlog of 86,000 cases and more than 15,000 unread emails.
- Julie Morton, a retiree with terminal cancer, has been unable to access her pension, affecting her financially and emotionally.
- Capita has increased its staff from 400 to 750 to tackle the backlog.
- Some retirees experience long wait times when contacting Capita by phone.
- An emergency interest-free loan system has been implemented for affected retirees.
- The emergency loan scheme has faced criticism for adding stress and requiring proof of hardship.
