The latest Taskforce update from Richard Vianello, Director of Civil Service Pensions, provides an overview of ongoing efforts to address the significant service issues affecting Civil Service Pension Scheme members. While serious challenges remain, particularly in relation to bereavement cases, there are signs of improvement in some areas as the Cabinet Office strengthens its oversight of Capita’s recovery plans.
Since the previous update on 9 July, Capita has submitted its rectification plan to the Cabinet Office. An important development is the appointment of Grant Thornton as the independent remediation advisor, tasked with assessing whether Capita’s proposed actions and assumptions are robust enough to deliver the required improvements.
In addition, the Cabinet Office will establish a new quality assurance function to conduct forensic reviews of a sample of cases each month. This team will monitor service quality and adherence to agreed processes, providing an additional layer of scrutiny over pension administration activities.
Work is also continuing on the deployment of independent auditors, exercising the Cabinet Office’s contractual rights to examine Capita’s performance and processes in greater detail.
Retirement Quotes
Retirement quotes continue to be a significant operational challenge.
As of 20 July 2026, there were 9,463 retirement quotes outstanding:
- 7,194 cases relate to members who requested quotes before 5 June and who had retirement dates on or before 30 June.
- 2,269 requests were received after 5 June.
The Cabinet Office has acknowledged the considerable impact these delays are having on members’ retirement planning and continues to meet with Capita daily to monitor progress and accelerate delivery.
Of the outstanding quote cases:
- 2,936 cases are awaiting clarification of data from employers.
- 6,500 cases are considered workable and are within Capita’s control to process.
Progress on Complex Cases
Capita previously identified around 1,500 complex retirement quote cases. Current progress includes:
- 121 cases completed
- Data received for a further 591 cases, enabling processing to continue
- 490 cases requiring action from Capita
- Around 400 cases currently being handled by the specialist surge team
The surge team has written to 308 members and is providing direct support to establish whether cases have been resolved, whether further information is required, and what next steps need to be taken.
Members receiving retirement quotes are encouraged to review the FAQs included within their quote packs and consult the Civil Service Pensions Quotes Hub for additional guidance.
Bereavement Cases Still Facing Significant Delays
The update also highlights continuing concerns regarding bereavement cases. Capita currently has:
- 4,750 bereavement cases awaiting processing
- Of these 1,461 cases that are more than four months old
A significant proportion of additional cases are awaiting responses from members or beneficiaries, with 3,099 more cases requiring paperwork to be returned before they can be progress further.
Death in Service and Ill-Health Retirement Cases
These cases often involve third parties and additional complexity, requiring a more hands-on approach. Scheme members or beneficiaries are being encouraged to return any requested documentation as quickly as possible to help avoid further delays.
Online Tools Still Unavailable
Despite progress in reducing backlogs, there remains no update regarding the restoration of online member tools, particularly the retirement modeller, which was previously a valuable planning resource for scheme members.
The Cabinet Office has stated that stabilising core operations remains the immediate priority before wider digital services can be restored.
CSPA View
The latest figures suggest that more cases are now being processed than in previous weeks, which is welcome news. The increased scrutiny of parliamentarians, independent remedial advisors, auditors and a new Cabinet Office quality assurance function demonstrates that concerns about service performance are being taken seriously.
However, the scale of the remaining backlog remains deeply concerning. With nearly 9,500 retirement quotes outstanding and thousands of bereavement cases still awaiting resolution, many members continue to face uncertainty and frustration. While any signs of progress are welcome, the timeframe for resolving these issues remains wholly unacceptable.
Behind these figures are thousands of people facing an uncertain retirement; bereaved families coping with the loss of a loved one while facing delays in receiving pension benefits and securing the financial certainty to which they are entitled. For many, these delays have caused, and continue to cause significant distress at an already difficult time. CSPA will continue to press for urgent action to ensure members and their families receive the service, support and payments they deserve.
CSPA will continue to monitor developments closely and press for improvements in service delivery, timely communication and support for affected members.
The next update from Richard Vianello is expected on 6 August 2026. The full Taskforce update can be found here Member Knowledge Article
