Engagement with a range of stakeholders is ongoing, including Civil Service networks. Feedback on internal HR policies and guidance are not published externally.

Section 36(2)(b)(i), and (c) of the Freedom of Information Act was applied based on the qualified opinion that communication, discussion and debate of the model Policy and Guidance: Supporting Trans and Non-binary Employees would inhibit free and frank internal advice. We concluded that safeguarding this space for robust consultation and engagement outweighs the public interest in disclosure.

Over 5,000 retirees are not currently in receipt of their pension payments, though many have received their lump sum payments, whilst the scheme continues to pay approximately 730,000 existing pensioners on time.

To alleviate immediate hardship, employers have issued over £24.8 million in Transitional Support Loans to over 4,429 members, alongside interest-free bridging loans ranging from £5,000 to £20,000. Members will fully repay these bridging loans upon receipt of their formal pension payments.

Existing civil servants who have partially retired or a civil servant who retired from 1 January 2025, can contact their employer to access the transitional support loan. The provision of these loans will continue while delays persist.

Pension scheme members not in scope of this loan scheme but who are at risk of experiencing financial hardship due to the delayed payment of their pension, should contact Capita to highlight the financial impact of these delays. Capita will then prioritise resolution of these cases.

Exact costs are subject to an ongoing commercial reconciliation as we comprehensively evaluate the latest service data. While specific operational figures remain commercially sensitive at this stage of the recovery plan, we continue to use all available commercial levers to manage performance and hold the administrator to account.

Over 5,000 retirees are not currently in receipt of their pension payments, though many have received their lump sum payments, whilst the scheme continues to pay approximately 730,000 existing pensioners on time.

To alleviate immediate hardship, employers have issued over £24.8 million in Transitional Support Loans to over 4,429 members, alongside interest-free bridging loans ranging from £5,000 to £20,000. Members will fully repay these bridging loans upon receipt of their formal pension payments.

Existing civil servants who have partially retired or a civil servant who retired from 1 January 2025, can contact their employer to access the transitional support loan. The provision of these loans will continue while delays persist.

Pension scheme members not in scope of this loan scheme but who are at risk of experiencing financial hardship due to the delayed payment of their pension, should contact Capita to highlight the financial impact of these delays. Capita will then prioritise resolution of these cases.

Exact costs are subject to an ongoing commercial reconciliation as we comprehensively evaluate the latest service data. While specific operational figures remain commercially sensitive at this stage of the recovery plan, we continue to use all available commercial levers to manage performance and hold the administrator to account.

Over 5,000 retirees are not currently in receipt of their pension payments, though many have received their lump sum payments, whilst the scheme continues to pay approximately 730,000 existing pensioners on time.

To alleviate immediate hardship, employers have issued over £24.8 million in Transitional Support Loans to over 4,429 members, alongside interest-free bridging loans ranging from £5,000 to £20,000. Members will fully repay these bridging loans upon receipt of their formal pension payments.

Existing civil servants who have partially retired or a civil servant who retired from 1 January 2025, can contact their employer to access the transitional support loan. The provision of these loans will continue while delays persist.

Pension scheme members not in scope of this loan scheme but who are at risk of experiencing financial hardship due to the delayed payment of their pension, should contact Capita to highlight the financial impact of these delays. Capita will then prioritise resolution of these cases.

Exact costs are subject to an ongoing commercial reconciliation as we comprehensively evaluate the latest service data. While specific operational figures remain commercially sensitive at this stage of the recovery plan, we continue to use all available commercial levers to manage performance and hold the administrator to account.

In line with usual practice, any government business raised in meetings is fed back to the department.

The number of civil servants working on the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill has varied over time. As of 11 September 2026, there were seven full-time equivalent (FTE) officials working on the bill in the Department of Health and Social Care, 1.3 FTE officials from the Ministry of Justice, and two FTE officials from the Government Legal Department. The bill team has subsequently been disbanded.

The final wording of the Explanatory Notes was a matter entirely for the bill sponsor, but as part of the Government’s duty to the statute book, civil servants did suggest minor factual amendments for the sponsor to consider.

The number of civil servants working on the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill has varied over time. As of 11 September 2026, there were seven full-time equivalent (FTE) officials working on the bill in the Department of Health and Social Care, 1.3 FTE officials from the Ministry of Justice, and two FTE officials from the Government Legal Department. The bill team has subsequently been disbanded.

The final wording of the Explanatory Notes was a matter entirely for the bill sponsor, but as part of the Government’s duty to the statute book, civil servants did suggest minor factual amendments for the sponsor to consider.

The Cabinet Office does not hold this information centrally on behalf of departments.

Departments that use the Civil Service Compensation (CSCS) Scheme, must obtain Cabinet Office approval for any schemes they intend to run..

Applications require a business case detailing the rationale, estimated exits by Voluntary Exit, Voluntary Redundancy, and Compulsory Redundancy, as well as mitigation plans and proposed tariff. The CO reviews applications to ensure the CSCS is operating in line with the scheme rules and frameworks and that proposed exit payments represent value for money to the taxpayer.

The Cabinet Office does not hold final exit totals by department, as actual exits may decrease after approval has been granted. Departmental exit numbers are published on GOV.UK as part of the annual Civil Service statistics: 2026, and within each individual annual report and accounts.

I refer to the answer given to Question HL2836 on 14 September.

The Cabinet Office awarded Capita the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme in November 2023 under the previous government. The current delays facing scheme members are entirely unacceptable, and this Government has taken firm action to resolve them through a clear recovery plan with strict delivery milestones.

Capita has systematically defaulted on its major operational recovery commitments. They failed to meet critical transition milestones, including the end of April 2026 target to clear inherited payment arrears, the end of May 2026 milestone to bring approximately 2,200 sensitive divorce cases within contractual service levels, and the critical milestone of a complete return to standard contractual service levels by the end of June 2026.

Capita submitted a formal Rectification Plan in July 2026, and the Remedial Advisor Grant Thornton was appointed shortly thereafter at Capita’s expense. Their work will assist the Cabinet Office to test the validity and deliverability of the Plan, and to conduct a technical systems review. We expect to receive this audit information in early October, which will inform the Government's decision on next steps by mid-to-late October.

Further commercial, legal, and operational options remain on the table during the consideration of long-term structural delivery options.

On additional costs, regarding a) additional civil servants deployed, total projected Cabinet Office Pensions Recovery Taskforce and surge support operational costs up to the end of Financial Year 2026-27 stand at £12.5 million.

Costs relating to (b) external advisers, (c) contractors and (d) other costs, are subject to a formal commercial reconciliation exercise that is actively underway to recover Government surge team costs directly from Capita, and the Government has already withheld £9.9 million in contract payments for undelivered milestones.

The Cabinet Office awarded Capita the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme in November 2023 under the previous government. The current delays facing scheme members are entirely unacceptable, and this Government has taken firm action to resolve them through a clear recovery plan with strict delivery milestones.

Capita has systematically defaulted on its major operational recovery commitments. They failed to meet critical transition milestones, including the end of April 2026 target to clear inherited payment arrears, the end of May 2026 milestone to bring approximately 2,200 sensitive divorce cases within contractual service levels, and the critical milestone of a complete return to standard contractual service levels by the end of June 2026.

Capita submitted a formal Rectification Plan in July 2026, and the Remedial Advisor Grant Thornton was appointed shortly thereafter at Capita’s expense. Their work will assist the Cabinet Office to test the validity and deliverability of the Plan, and to conduct a technical systems review. We expect to receive this audit information in early October, which will inform the Government's decision on next steps by mid-to-late October.

Further commercial, legal, and operational options remain on the table during the consideration of long-term structural delivery options.

On additional costs, regarding a) additional civil servants deployed, total projected Cabinet Office Pensions Recovery Taskforce and surge support operational costs up to the end of Financial Year 2026-27 stand at £12.5 million.

Costs relating to (b) external advisers, (c) contractors and (d) other costs, are subject to a formal commercial reconciliation exercise that is actively underway to recover Government surge team costs directly from Capita, and the Government has already withheld £9.9 million in contract payments for undelivered milestones.

It would not be appropriate to comment on individual matters. As set out in the First Civil Service Commissioner's letter to the Home Office of 22 June 2026, the case will be recorded in the Commission’s Annual Report and Accounts for 2026/27 and in the Home Office’s Annual Report and Accounts for 2026/27.

The Cabinet Office awarded Capita the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme in November 2023 under the previous government. The current delays facing scheme members are entirely unacceptable, and this Government has taken firm action to resolve them through a clear recovery plan with strict delivery milestones. We have deployed additional resources to expedite priority cases, ensuring that serving and former staff receive the high standard of service they deserve. Regular progress updates remain available to members via the pension portal and GOV.UK.

We are actively developing a strategy the options for the long-term delivery of the scheme, including options to bring scheme administration back in-house in line with our manifesto commitment to oversee the biggest wave of insourcing of public services in a generation, and we will update on this in due course.

The Cabinet Office does not centrally collect or hold data on average workplace attendance. The monitoring of office attendance remains the responsibility of individuals, line managers and business units. Line Managers are expected to be aware of, and ensure compliance with, the minimum 60% expectation for their direct reports.

The model Special Leave suite of products was updated in May 2026 to align with the provision for all other employees, as set out in the model Policy and Guidance: Supporting Trans and Non-binary employees and Supporting Attendance Policy and Guidance. The model policy no longer includes 13 weeks provision for time-off for gender-reassignment and these absences, or time-off for appointments for gender-reassignment reasons, should be treated as any other absence or time-off for appointments.

Departments have delegated authority to determine the terms and conditions of employment for their employees, depending on their specific business requirements and the nature of the role.

A full list of public bodies subject to the SED will be published upon commencement. The Socio-Economic Duty (SED) will embed consideration of socio-economic disadvantage into public sector decision-making. It will require specified public authorities to have due regard to how their strategic decisions can reduce inequalities of outcomes associated with socio-economic disadvantage.

We are currently working towards commencement, which includes drafting statutory guidance that will clarify how the duty can be applied effectively. As part of this process, we are working with listed public bodies to ensure the guidance supports them effectively.

The four month quotation process is a guideline, not a rule. Therefore no consideration has been given to changing this process.

To specifically prioritise cases where members are facing urgent health or financial circumstances, the Department has taken the following direct steps:

• Health Circumstances: All outstanding ill-health retirement and death-in-service cases have been placed under strict, individual 'hypercare' tracking. We have deployed a cross-government surge team of over 140 civil servants, alongside experts from the Government Actuary’s Department, to bypass standard queues and directly clear the oldest and most complex cases. We have also established dedicated virtual surgeries for MPs and caseworkers to escalate urgent and exceptional cases directly to our recovery taskforce.

• Financial Hardship: To provide immediate financial support to those who may need it, including those who have left under the compensation scheme, arrangements are in place for interest-free bridging loans of £5,000 and up to £20,000 in exceptional cases - to most recent retirees facing payment delays. This is alongside interim lump sum payments being made to provide immediate funds to retiring members.

• Other Exceptional Circumstances: These are considered for prioritisation and ‘hypercare’ tracking on a case-by-case basis.

It is routine for incoming ministers to provide their private office with working preferences.