Paul Waugh

A backlog in the provision of cash equivalent transfer values (CETVs) to members of the Teachers’ Pension Scheme has been caused by two issues. Initially, an embargo was placed on the provision of CETVs by the public service pension schemes from March 2023 to July 2023. This was a result of the need for new factors to be calculated following a change to the Superannuation Contributions Adjusted for Past Experience (SCAPE) discount rate. Not all of those cases could be cleared by the scheme administrator before the Transitional Protection (McCloud) legislation took effect on 1 October 2023. For those members affected by Transitional Protection, further cross-scheme guidance was needed by the scheme administrator which created another significant period in which CETV cases could not be processed.

As of 20 November 2024, there are 1,952 CETV cases which have not been processed three months after the member applied.

The majority of these cases do not include scheme flexibilities and the scheme administrator currently estimates that such cases will all be cleared by the end of February 2025. The department is working with the scheme administrator to determine the likely timeframe for cases that involve flexibilities and the small cohort where guidance is being finalised. Consideration is being given to measures to reduce the timescales that members are waiting, including investigating the potential for any further automation of calculations, simplification of the CETV figures provided to the member and maximising the administrative resource available, for example through ongoing overtime.

A backlog in the provision of cash equivalent transfer values (CETVs) to members of the Teachers’ Pension Scheme has been caused by two issues. Initially, an embargo was placed on the provision of CETVs by the public service pension schemes from March 2023 to July 2023. This was a result of the need for new factors to be calculated following a change to the Superannuation Contributions Adjusted for Past Experience (SCAPE) discount rate. Not all of those cases could be cleared by the scheme administrator before the Transitional Protection (McCloud) legislation took effect on 1 October 2023. For those members affected by Transitional Protection, further cross-scheme guidance was needed by the scheme administrator which created another significant period in which CETV cases could not be processed.

As of 20 November 2024, there are 1,952 CETV cases which have not been processed three months after the member applied.

The majority of these cases do not include scheme flexibilities and the scheme administrator currently estimates that such cases will all be cleared by the end of February 2025. The department is working with the scheme administrator to determine the likely timeframe for cases that involve flexibilities and the small cohort where guidance is being finalised. Consideration is being given to measures to reduce the timescales that members are waiting, including investigating the potential for any further automation of calculations, simplification of the CETV figures provided to the member and maximising the administrative resource available, for example through ongoing overtime.

For the volume of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) claimants in Rochdale who scored less than four points in all 10 daily living activities in their most recent assessment by award see Table 1 below.

After the reforms PIP expenditure is forecast to rise from £29 billion this financial year to £35 billion in 2029/30, but would be £4 billion higher without these reforms. After taking account of behavioural changes, OBR predict 370,000 claimants at the point of implementation will be affected by 2029/30, equating to 1 in 10 of the PIP caseload in November 2026.

Table 1: Volume of PIP claimants in Rochdale Parliamentary Constituency who scored less than four points in all 10 daily living activities by award rate (January 2025 caseload)

Notes:

• Figures are rounded to the nearest 100.
• These figures include claims made under normal rules and include new claims and Disability Living Allowance (DLA) to PIP reassessments.
• Figures include those with Special Rules for End of Life (SREL)

• There will be no immediate changes. Changes to PIP eligibility and rebalancing of UC aren’t coming into effect immediately. Our intention is these changes will start to come into effect from April 2026 for UC and November 2026 for PIP, subject to parliamentary approval.
• PIP changes will only apply at the next award review after November 2026. The average award review period is about three years. At the award review, claimants will be seen by a trained assessor or healthcare professional and assessed on individual needs and circumstances.
• We are consulting on how best to support those who are affected by the new eligibility changes, including how to make sure health and eligible care needs are met. PIP is not based on condition diagnosis but on functional disability as the result of one or more conditions, and is awarded as a contribution to the additional costs which result.
• We also intend to launch a wider review of the PIP assessment which I will lead, and we will bring together a range of experts, stakeholders and people with lived experience to consider how best to do this and to start the process as part of preparing for a review. We will provide further details as plans progress.

The crimes committed by the Rochdale child sexual exploitation group are appalling and this Government is determined to take whatever action is available to us within the law to act against the perpetrators and protect the victims of their crimes.

As part of our commitment to deliver justice for victims and safer streets for our communities, we have also made clear that any foreign nationals who commit these kinds of appalling crimes should be in no doubt that the law will be enforced and, where it is lawful and possible to do so, we will always pursue their deportation with the upmost vigour.

The Hon Member will be aware that it is a longstanding Government policy not to comment publicly on individual cases, but I am happy to meet with him to discuss the action being taken in these and other cases related to the Rochdale child exploitation group.

In the first days of this Government, the Prime Minister and I met Mayors in Downing Street to discuss devolution and the critical role for mayors in delivering our Mission of Economic Growth.

Building on the last Labour Government’s legacy of the devolution in Scotland and Wales, the Prime Minister and I are determined to see devolution extended to every corner of England and I have invited local areas without a devolution agreement to come forward.

We will continue to work with local leaders, councils, Members of Parliament and stakeholders to deepen and widen devolution across England.