Advice and support

Pensions

A pension means security in retirement. That is why the FDA is dedicated to protecting and improving yours.

Ongoing issues with Capita and administration of Civil Service Pensions Scheme

Since Capita assumed responsibility for CSPS administration on 1 December 2025, widespread delays and errors have affected newly retired and retiring members, including delayed pension payments, lack of clarity on pension values, and slow case progression. Read more about the scale of the issues.

We continue to support members and push for improved service levels following period of unprecedented issues. Read more about how the FDA is supporting members through pension issues.

The FDA is providing members will regular updates on our engagement with Capita and Cabinet Office and the progress of the civil service-led Recovery Taskforce via our weekly all member emails sent each Thursday. You can read abridged version of this week’s update below:

Termination of Capita’s Post Office Pension Scheme contract

In last week’s update we said that we would follow up with the Cabinet Office about why they made the decision to cancel the Post Office pension scheme contract with Capita, but not the CSPS. They indicated that the Post Office/Royal Mail pension arrangements are fundamentally different schemes. These differences are set out in the table below.

The government has chosen to stabilise rather than terminate the contract – changing the CSPS administrator during a crisis could exacerbate issues. While we understand this logic, we will not accept the scheme’s woeful performance is a reason not to take drastic action, including potential in-sourcing of the service but this too would require significant capital investment in the region of £80m, to design an all-encompassing IT system.

Find Out More >

opinion

Never again

Following the unacceptable issues arising from the civil service pension scheme transfer to Capita, Adrian Prandle outlines the FDA’s ongoing work to ensure members get the support they need as quickly as possible.

Read More >

The FDA is committed to ensuring each and every one of its members receives a fair pension when they retire.

Whether you are a member of the current civil service Partnership or Alpha schemes, the former Classic, Classic Plus, Premium and Nuvos legacy schemes, or a completely different pension scheme, the FDA has the expert knowledge and bargaining power to help ensure your future economic security.

We help secure better pensions for FDA members by:

Negotiating for better pensions across government, including reforms to the Civil Service Pension Scheme.

Working with departments and other civil service employers to protect members’ pension benefits and holding the Cabinet Office and Capita to account to ensure service levels improve following the transfer of administration of the Civil Service Pension Scheme.

Solving individual members’ issues and ensuring our members receive the benefits they are entitled to and correct advice when planning for the future. We help members with their pension problems, from those caused by administrative error to those arising from early or ill health retirement. We also offer guidance on a range of pension subjects, including annual and lifetime allowances and pension tax relief.

Providing members with a free consultation with an independent financial advisor, where they can discuss their pensions, via FDA Portfolio – our members discounts programme.

Taking an active role in the governance of civil service pensions, with FDA representatives having seats on the Civil Service Pensions Board, the Civil Service Pension Scheme Advisory Board and the Joint Superannuation Committee with the Cabinet Office.

Working with the TUC and public service unions to protect and improve the provision of public service pensions.

Please do not ask your FDA reps for personal financial advice. They can provide you with information about your pension and your options but they are not financial advisers. Your reps are not accredited to provide income tax or financial advice, and they are not authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority to give advice.

McCloud judgment and remedy

The FDA will continue to keep members updated on the government’s plans for addressing the age discrimination as found in the McCloud judgment. In the meantime, members can access our FAQs on the McCloud and Sargeant judgments, and on the Treasury’s consultation on public sector pensions.

Gender Pension Gap Day

‘Gender Pension Gap Day‘ represents the point of the year that an average retired woman would run out of pension income if she was receiving it at the same rate as an average retired man. This year it took place on 21 August. It is based on research showing the gender pension gap in the UK is 36.5% – more than double the country’s gender pay gap. And it’s even worse for civil servants: the latest actuarial valuation of this scheme showed a gender gap of 45%. The FDA has raised this directly with the civil service scheme and is supporting a union initiative to close the gender pension gap for civil servants.

Some progress is being made. The local government pension scheme consulted on proposals that would close its gender gap significantly. We need the Cabinet Office to adopt these for the civil service scheme.

The FDA will continue to press for progress on behalf of members, and we are encouraging members to sign this petition in support of these efforts.