Issues raised about the administrator include members who have just retired or are about to retire imminently, sometimes without clarity on what their pension will be or when it will be paid.
Responding to members’ experiences, FDA Assistant General Secretary Adrian Prandle told Civil Service World that members have been left “without clarity on what their pension will be or when it will be paid.”
As quoted in the i paper, Prandle added:
“This is unacceptable. To make life-changing decisions about retirement or leaving the civil service relies on accurate and timely information from the pension administrator. Our members cannot expect to put their lives on hold any longer.”
In a message to FDA members, the Assistant General Secretary outlined how the union is pushing for an improved service for members:
“We remain in very regular contact with Cabinet Office to highlight members’ experiences and press for rapid improvement from Capita. The FDA also pushed for representatives from Capita to be present at the last meeting of 2025 so we were able to convey to them directly the major impact this poor service is having on members’ retirement plans and personal lives. It is clear as we start 2026 that faster solutions are required.
“In our meetings with the Cabinet Office, the FDA has also been able to secure an escalation route to raise cases with immediate financial implications with Capita, though this too is now dealing with high volumes of cases. We also continue to push the Cabinet Office and Capita for greater speed and accuracy to support members’ retirements and deal with the barriers resulting from the scheme administrators’ service.
“We are in regular contact with departments, employers and other trade unions who, like the FDA, remain concerned about the slow service at a time when there are voluntary exit schemes, mergers, and reorganisations taking place across the civil service.”
Current or associate FDA members experiencing issues with the pensions administrator can contact the union at [email protected].
