Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the average processing time is for the allocation of a civil servant’s death‑in‑service widow and widower's pension after the submission of a valid claim form; and what steps are being taken to improve timescales for finalising payments.

The Cabinet Office awarded the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme to Capita in November 2023 under the previous government.

The issues and delays facing a number of civil servants and pension scheme members in receiving their pension quotes are unacceptable. I want to reassure you that this Government has taken firm action to help put things right as soon as possible. We have agreed a clear recovery plan with Capita, which includes specific milestones and accountability targets for delivery.

For priority cases, we have deployed additional resources and improved communication to ensure members receive the support they deserve. While the immediate focus remains on stabilising the service through this intensive recovery plan, we are committed to ensuring all staff, both former and serving, receive the quality of service and support they deserve.

Existing Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) have been enhanced and strengthened to deliver improved performance and higher penalties for failure, including financial penalties. These have already applied in respect to Capita's performance with recent issues and delays in administering the Civil Service Pension Scheme.

We recognise the significant pressure on surviving spouses. Upon receipt of a valid, fully completed claim form from the spouse, the Service Level Agreement (SLA) for paying the lump sum is five working days, which is concurrent with the five-day SLA for setting up the spouse’s pension; however, the physical receipt of this first payment will be determined by the timing of the payroll cycle, and as of March 2026, this SLA is being met for new cases.

Possible exceptions to these timelines include circumstances where the spouse is not the named beneficiary, necessitating a wait for the Grant of Probate before a lump sum payment can be made, or where data issues requiring employer input prevent benefits from being accurately calculated, thereby extending the settlement period. Furthermore, where benefits include a Defined Contribution (DCU) option, the spouse will be issued the various options within the five-day period and must make a formal decision before any benefits can be paid.

The latest position of the Civil Service Pension Recovery Plan Update (2 March 2026) is available at this weblink: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-pension-recovery-plan-updates/civil-service-pension-recovery-plan-update-2-march-2026