Capita protesters sound strong message over pensions crisis

PCS members and supporters protested outside Capita’s AGM to demand action over the ongoing civil service pension scheme crisis.

Capita’s failures have left thousands of retired civil servants without their pensions, causing serious financial hardship. 

Bereaved spouses face long delays, future retirees fear having no income, and a major data breach has exposed members’ personal information. Parliamentary committees are now examining the situation.

So far nearly 3,000 people have emailed their MP using our e-action to demand the government takes urgent action on the issue. 

A scandal

PCS Parliamentary Group Chair John McDonnell told the rally that he and his fellow MPs have repeatedly raised the issue in parliament.

“There are members who have retired and have received nothing and are living in real hardship. And it's causing incredible stress and mental ill health,” he said.

"What's amazing is this isn't just one example by Capita. They're making millions out of these contracts.”

He said the parliamentary group has highlighted how the problems aren’t being solved.

“We believe it's not quick enough, the problems aren't being solved. We want to know that Capita aren't continuing to make massive profits out of this while civil servants sort out the problems,” he said. “There can be no further contracts given to Capita, full stop. Any of these pension schemes should be administered by the civil service, they should not be privatised, they should be brought back in-house. This is a scandal on the scale of the Post Office. We need the government to act.”

Sam Gurney, regional secretary for the TUC in London East and South East, showed solidarity with the protesters.

“It is an absolute scandal, sadly one of many at the moment, a scandal which didn’t need to happen. We had seen what Capita had done with other pension schemes, we had seen the debacle with the teachers’ pension. We knew what was happening and then this contract was outsourced,” he said. “It’s caused absolute hardship. Your pensions are deferred pay, you should be able to access this, get your pensions, your lump sum. There is no way private companies should stand in the way of you accessing your money.”

Sam highlighted how Labour had made a commitment in its 2024 general election manifesto to carry out the “biggest wave of insourcing in a generation.”

“We know how little insourcing there had been in the run-up to the last general election and we know how little insourcing there would need to be to be the biggest wave of insourcing for a generation. But still we have continued to see contracts like this going out after the election.”

Chaos

Phillipa had planned to retire at the end of March but because of the Capita chaos doesn’t know when this might happen.

“The impact it’s having is devastating. Fortunately, as some people might see it, I haven’t retired, but I was due to retire on 31 March but then I realised what the crisis was and I simply cannot live without any income whatsoever,” she said. “I don’t know when I can retire.”

Judy-ann worked for the Met Police for 20 years and retired on 7 May, she expected to have her pension 8 weeks ago.

“I’ve had nothing. I’ve been told that they don’t know when they’re going to pay the pension and I had my last pay slip at the end of April, so I am now without any pay until I get my pension,” she said.

She said it has impacted her plans and she has lost the right to go back to work. 

Read more about the pensions crisis and our campaign.