Search Results for: capita

PRESS RELEASE – Bring Barnet’s services home: UNISON calls for solidarity to insource Capita contracts

Anti - Racism, Austerity, Local, News, Report, UNISON Campaign

Barnet UNISON is calling on residents, UNISON members, fellow branches and trade unions to stand with us as Barnet Council prepares to make a major decision on the future of local services.

At the Cabinet Committee meeting on 16 September 2025, councillors will decide the future of IT, Customer Services, and Revenues & Benefits services currently run by Capita.

Barnet UNISON has published a detailed report to Cabinet which sets out the case for insourcing and directly challenges the Council’s Cabinet report.

You can read our report using the link below.

https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Barnet_UNISON_Report_Final-16-Sept-2025-Capita-services.pdf

Our analysis exposes:

  • Barnet paid £27 million to Capita last year for these services.
  • The Council also spent £24 million on agency and consultancy staff, the highest level in 15 years.
  • That’s £51 million in one year on outsourcing and temporary provision, while the Council’s own spreadsheets show insourcing would cost just £17.5 million.
  • Outsourcing has failed: Council Tax collection remains below London averages, costing residents around £3 million a year.
  • The Cabinet report portrays insourcing as a “cost pressure,” while ignoring the hidden costs of outsourcing — supplier profits, gainshare deductions, contract management, churn, and procurement cycles.

Barnet UNISON says:

  • Insourcing is the only sustainable, cost-effective option in Barnet’s current financial crisis.
  • Labour nationally has pledged to “end the outsourcing racket” and UNISON’s Bringing Services Home campaign makes clear that public services run best in-house, accountable to residents not shareholders.
  • Barnet has a real opportunity to deliver on Labour and UNISON policy, and to secure better services and stronger jobs for the borough.

Call to Action

We are asking for messages of solidarity from:

  • Barnet residents – to show you want public money spent on public services.
  • UNISON members and branches – to back the case for insourcing in Barnet.
  • Other trade unions and allies – to stand with Barnet UNISON in this campaign.

📧 Please send messages of support to: contactus@barnetunison.org.uk

Together, we can end wasteful outsourcing in Barnet and rebuild accountable, cost-effective public services.

ENDS

Money for Agency Companies and Capita – But Not for Our Members or Services

Local, Membership, News, Solidarity, UNISON Campaign

Barnet UNISON members are being told there’s no money – cuts to jobs, services and even our paid time off to represent you are being pushed through.

Yet at the same time, Barnet Council’s spending on agency staff, consultants and Capita has reached record levels.

The reality:

  • £24.02 million spent on agency workers in the last year – an all‑time high.
  • £27.03 million paid to Capita in the same year – even though their role is now limited to Customer Services, IT, Revenues and Benefits (and Payroll has now been taken back in‑house from April 2025).
  • Meanwhile, frontline services and trade union facility time are under attack.

We have been here before. During last year’s redundancy consultations, the Council told staff the cuts were unavoidable because of the financial crisis. They promised to look at savings and new income streams.
Barnet UNISON set out clear concerns in our briefing, Three Chief Executives and a Plumber (read here), including the spiralling costs of agency staff and Capita contracts. Sadly, those warnings were ignored.

More questionable spending decisions

  • The Council depot is being partly handed back to Network Rail – forcing the Council to rent expensive alternative premises despite claiming there’s “no money”.
  • Staff at Colindale are now facing consultation on charging for car parking. One member summed up the feeling:
    “They took away the water, then the tea and coffee, and now they want to take away the free parking. What’s next?”

What happens next?
We are now waiting for the next chapter in the Council’s cost‑cutting plan: a report from consultants Peopletoo is due to be considered by Cabinet on Tuesday 16 September. This will set out their proposals for “savings” and “income generation”.

Barnet UNISON will keep members updated as soon as we know more – and we will continue to challenge a system that finds millions for agency staff and Capita but claims it can’t fund the people and services our community depends on.

“No stone left unturned” Number 11: We got to talk about Capita

Austerity, Libraries, Local, News, Solidarity, UNISON Campaign

What can we say about the Capita contract that we have not already said.

It should never have happened.

Below is the latest update graphic (courtesy of Barnet resident and Blogger Mr Reasonable) on how much Barnet Council has paid Capita over the last 14 years.

Whilst a great deal of the services have been brought back in-house they still have the following services

  1. Customer Services
  2. IT
  3. Revenues and Benefits
  4. Payroll

Barnet Council extended the contract with Capita for the above services which guarantees Capita around £20 million a year until the contract ends mid-2026.

Barnet Council has paid out over £254million more that the contract price.

We are in a difficult place in terms of the financial crisis and every penny counts.

Capita is running the Revenues service and that means their performance in relation to collection rates for Council Tax and Business Rates can have a direct impact on the financial viability of Barnet Council.

It is disappointing to read that according to the recent Barnet Council Review of Capita report that Capita is underperforming and has been set an improvement plan.

This means the Council is not getting the income it should be collecting which means services and jobs are put at risk unnecessarily.

This has nothing to do with temporary accommodation or adult social care spend. This is something for which the Council has sole responsibility. Before this service was outsourced it was the highest performing service in London.

Now it is underperforming and according to Barnet Council a 1% increase in Council Tax would bring in an additional £2.3m for the Council.

For Business Rates Collections, every 1% improvement in collection is worth £324k per annum to the council.

UNISON Comment:

The improvement plan is meaningless and does not address the crisis facing services and staff. Barnet Council must enforce the contract and reduce the contract payments to try and mitigate the need for redundancies and cuts to services.

End.

Breaking News: Capita Re contract to be terminated early.

Austerity, News, Solidarity, UNISON Campaign

Back in 2013 Barnet Council signed two big contracts with Capita to deliver services.

On Tuesday 19 July 2022, Barnet Council made a decision to let Capita Re (a Joint venture with Barnet Council) expire at the end of the 10-year contract.

 View Barnet Council report here

https://barnet.moderngov.co.uk/documents/s73533/Review%20of%20Capita%20Contracts.pdf

This meant staff working for the following services would be coming back in-house to Barnet Council on the 30 September 2023

  • Regulatory Services: (Environmental Health, Trading and Licensing Services, Pest Control)
  • Regeneration
  • Highways
  • Cemetery and Crematorium
  • Land Charges
  • Building Control
  • Planning and Development.

The Breaking News is that Barnet Council and Capita informed all staff working on the Capita Re contract that all services will be coming back in-house on 31 March 2023 six months earlier than planned.

“This is good news for staff, good news for residents and good news for the services. I welcome the decision and look forward to welcoming back all the services back into Barnet Council where they all belong.” John Burgess, Branch Secretary, Barnet UNISON.

“The news that Barnet Council has agreed to terminate the Capita Re contract six months earlier than planned is very positive. It means that important services such as Regeneration, Highways, Planning and Development, Regulatory Services and Building Control will return to in-house provision. This is a big step forward in reducing outsourcing in Barnet and represents a failure of the Tories much maligned ‘Future Shape’ and ‘Easy Council’ model for local government.” Dexter Whitfield, Director, European Services Strategy Unit

End.

Note to Editors: Contact Barnet UNISON on or 020 8359 2088 or email: contactus@barnetunison.org.uk

Background:

What does #Caxit mean for Barnet UNISON members working for Capita?

https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/2022/07/22/what-does-caxit-mean-for-barnet-unison-members-working-for-capita/

What does #Caxit mean for Barnet UNISON members working for Capita?

Austerity, Local, UNISON Campaign

On Tuesday 19 July 2022, Barnet Council decided to let Capita Re (a Joint venture with Barnet Council)  expire at the end of the 10 year contract.

View Barnet Council report here https://barnet.moderngov.co.uk/documents/s73533/Review%20of%20Capita%20Contracts.pdf

This means staff working for the following services will be coming back in-house to Barnet Council

  • Regulatory Services: (Environmental Health, Trading and Licensing Services, Pest Control)
  • Regeneration
  • Highways
  • Cemetery and Crematorium
  • Land Charges
  • Building Control
  • Planning and Development.

The second Capita contract is known as CSG, and it provides back-office services.

The following services are to return in-house

  • Estates (including Print)
  • Welfare Team
  • Procurement

The following services are being extended:

IT, Customer Services and Revs & Bens extended 2 years 7 months to March 20226

HR Payroll and Finance 1 year extension to 31 August 2024.

Key TUPE transfer dates for staff.

31 August 2023 for Estates (including Print) into Barnet Council.

30 September 2023 for all services in Re (see above) into Barnet Council.

31 August 2024 for HR/Core HR and Accounts Payable/Integra *

31 March 2026 for IT, Customer Services and Revs and Bens *

*Please note no decision has been made as to whether staff working in these services will come back in-house. Barnet UNISON has written to the Chief Executive to ask why they are not coming back in-house and when a decision will be made as to who will deliver these services after the contract expires.

End.

,

Breaking News: Capita contracts update in easyCouncil Barnet

Anti - Racism, Austerity, Local, Report, Solidarity, UNISON Campaign

Good news

One of the Capita contracts a joint venture known as Re is to come to an end next year.

The following services will be returning in-house 2023:

•         Highways

•         Regeneration

•         Regulatory Services

•         Planning (Development Control)

•         Land Charges

•         Building Control

•         Cemetery and Crematorium

Not so good news: Barnet Council have agreed a fudge to second contract.

Capita will continue to deliver the following services until March 2026

Information Technology (IT)

Revenues and Benefits

Customer Services

Capita will continue to deliver the following services until 31 August 2024

·       Finance*

·       Human Resources*

* (elements of these services returned to the Council in 2019)

The following services will be returning in-house

·       Procurement & Welfare Team will return in Autumn 2022.

·       Estates (including Print) in 2023

You can read all the Council Committee reports online here https://barnet.moderngov.co.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=692&MId=11225

“It is good news that Barnet Council has accepted that outsourcing Regulatory Services was never going to make money and that it must be delivered in-house. Whilst I am happy for the current staff, I can’t help but reflect on the wasted resources poured into the One Barnet Programme; millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money was spent on consultants who took the money and ran. As for the CSG contract I think the Council has missed an opportunity to take back control of the Council. Many other Councils have managed the transition back in-house when a 10-year contract expires, look at West Sussex, Southampton all of whom had contracts with Capita. As of 17 June 2022, Capita have been paid £590 million to deliver services for Barnet Council which is £229 million more than Barnet Council had agreed to pay Capita for the two contracts with still another year left of the two 10-year contracts.” John Burgess, Branch Secretary Barnet UNISON.

End.

“All you need to know and more about the Capita contracts with Barnet Council.”

Austerity, COVID 19, Local, Report, Solidarity, UNISON Campaign

Guest Speaker: Barnet Blogger Mr Reasonable  

Tuesday 30 November 7- 8 pm

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83430400093?pwd=SVcwRTF4Y0Z5bG11NG9PWFZNeVNRZz09

Meeting ID: 834 3040 0093

Passcode: 177260

Background information:

Barnet Council awarded Capita two ten-year contracts in 2013

Barnet Council are reviewing both of their Capita contracts which were due to expire in 2023 ten years after they were awarded details of the progress of the review https://barnet.moderngov.co.uk/documents/s68820/FPC%20Contracts%20Review%20Report.pdf

The Capita contracts have been subject to widespread concern from the local community and trade unions.

Two local films were made and screened at the local Phoenix Cinema in East Finchley with introductions from Ken Loach.

A Tale of Two Barnets: https://youtu.be/b3Z6Llu1tks

A Billion Pound Gamble https://youtu.be/rpoTSAV5efQ

Council under fire over contractor’s £2m fraud

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-45641513

Is this the end of Capita in Barnet – Grant Thornton’s report is a devastating critique of Capita’s dismal performance.

https://reasonablenewbarnet.blogspot.com/2018/09/is-this-end-of-capita-in-barnet-grant.html

Barnet UNISON call-out for people to give evidence at the #KickOutCapita Inquiry in House of Commons.

https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/2018/10/25/barnet-unison-call-out-for-people-to-give-evidence-at-the-kickoutcapita-inquiry/

 

Capita to pay more than £4m compensation to Barnet Council over contracts performance

https://www.publicsectorexecutive.com/Public-Sector-News/capita-to-pay-more-than-4m-compensation-to-barnet-council-over-contracts-performance-

Just what we pay Capita – How they billed £555 million to one council

http://reasonablenewbarnet.blogspot.com/2021/09/just-what-we-pay-capita-how-they-billed.html

Man working for Capita in Darlington carried out £70,000 fraud

https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/18222301.man-working-capita-darlington-carried-70-000-fraud/

, ,

*** Pensions: New Annual Benefit Statements to be issued by Capita.

Austerity, Local, News, Pensions, UNISON Campaign

 

Dear Barnet UNISON Members

Sadly the Annual Benefit Statement (ABS) issued by Capita Pensions service this September to LBB staff (not schools) was wrong.

We are urgently seeking confirmation as to when the updated ABS will be sent out as we are aware that the Pension Administration Service is being handed over to a new Company at the end of next month.

Members are understandably worried that if their ABS is wrong it will be hard chasing Capita for data once the service has been handed over to the new company.

Barnet UNISON has also been made aware of a number of other errors different to the one above and we are in contact with the Council on behalf of members to try to resolve these matters.

Lastly, it is important to note that the error that led to the inaccurate ABS being sent out to staff was a PAYROLL error.

The Payroll service is delivered by Capita out of the Belfast office. This service is not being handed to the new company.

Barnet UNISON is concerned that if pay roll errors continue then the Pension Service will not produce accurate Pension figures for members of the scheme. We have repeatedly raised this concern with the Council and will continue to do so for our members.

End.

 

Capita refusing share COVID risk assessments with Barnet UNISON

Austerity, H&S, Health and Safety, Local, UNISON Campaign

Dear Members

Barnet UNISON as part of our efforts to ensure all of our members was safe contacted Capita in order that we could take part in the Risk Assessment consultation process.

Our branch has been busy for the last 8 weeks supporting and advising our members working and dealing with the COVID 19 risk in the workplace.

Whilst many staff are able to work from home there are staff who have to go out into the community to deal with the public.

It is important that all employers comply with Health and Safety Legislation in relation to Risk Assessments.

Now more than ever all employers should understand the importance of carrying out Risk Assessments for all of their staff in order they can provide assurances their workplace is safe.

It is important to note but as of Friday 22 May 2020, Barnet UNISON has not been consulted on any Risk Assessment for any job role being carried out by our members on both Capita contracts.

We have seen a Capita generic Risk Assessment which as soon as we challenged it Capita admitted it was out of date.

Barnet UNISON was informed that Capita compliance team issued 3 generic risk assessments (which have seen) which we were told would be a starting point for discussions around role specific Risk Assessments for staff working on the two Barnet contracts.

This was positive news.

Barnet UNISON requested the contact details for the manager responsible for coordinating the Risk Assessments on both Capita contracts in Barnet.

Capita responded stating they will not share or agree all risk assessments as requested as this is not something as an organisation that we do.

The health, safety and welfare of our members working for Capita is a serious matter and as such we have escalated this matter to UNISON National as the following legislation must be followed by the employer.

It is worrying that in this current COVID Pandemic where serious and fatal risks are being faced by workers every day that any employer would refuse to share or agree Risk Assessments with a Trade Union.

Relevant Legislation: Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999

Regulation 3 – employers must conduct suitable and sufficient risk assessments

Regulation 4 – requires employer to control hazards at source

Regulation 7 – employer must appoint competent persons to conduct RA

Regulation 10 – workers must be given comprehensive and relevant information about risks

Regulation 13 – employers must ensure workers are capable and trained

Regulation 16/19 – RA must take account of women of child-bearing age and young people’s risks.

Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992

Regulation 4 states:

Every employer shall ensure that suitable personal protective equipment is provided to his employees who may be exposed to a risk to their health or safety while at work except where and to the extent that such risk has been adequately controlled by other means which are equally or more effective.

If you have any concerns please email the branch on contactus@barnetunison.org.uk

End.

 

 

 

 

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