FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Barnet UNISON issues warning to members about the Pension Service provided by Capita.
Barnet UNISON Press Release: Friday 1 December 2017
“The final straw for me was when I was sent copies of letters issued on London Borough of Hounslow letterheads with London Borough of Hounslow email contact details to our members by Capita Pension Service in response to their own Barnet Pensions queries. Barnet UNISON has been monitoring an ongoing catalogue of serious errors made by the Capita Pensions Service operating out of Darlington. Not only am I unhappy with Capita, but also with the Council, which agreed this outsourcing model. This fragmented model, where you have two pay roll departments running out of Belfast and Carlisle and Pensions running out of Darlington was agreed by senior Barnet Council Officers in 2012. They have long gone and left us with a service in which we have no confidence. Our Pension, is our members’ single biggest financial saving for their future. It is also their deferred earnings. The Pension service our members’ are having to endure is unacceptable. My concern is that there is an “Emperor’s New Clothes” culture in our Council. No criticism is tolerated, well Barnet UNISON will not stay silent the service needs to be brought back in-house.” John Burgess Barnet UNISON Branch Secretary
We advise all Barnet UNISON members who are in the
Local Government Pensions Scheme
to read this Press release and take up our offer below.
1. Please find a brief explanation of the serious issues we have found over the past two years
- 2015 Annual Benefit Statements not sent to all by statutory deadline
- 2016 Annual Benefit Statements not sent to all by statutory deadline
- 2015 Annual Benefit Statements not all correct – CARE benefit incorrectly based on taxable pay rather than pensionable pay
- 2016 Annual Benefit Statements not all correct – CARE benefit incorrectly based on taxable pay rather than pensionable pay
- 2017 Annual Benefit Statements not all accurate – missing previous LGPS membership, more than one statement, CARE benefit based on part pensionable pay
- Barnet Pension communicated on another local authority’s letterhead showing two different e-mail addresses for communication with them
- Insufficient details provided for pension calculations to check accuracy
2. What HAS Barnet UNISON done so far?
- Raised issues at meetings with Chief Executive in December 2016, January 2017 and September 2017
- Asked LBB to inform breaches to the Pensions Regulator
- Issues raised at Local Pension Board meetings
- Issues raised at regular monthly meetings with Council officers and Capita Pensions staff.
3. What YOU can do
- Contact Branch on contactus@barnetunison.org.uk or ring on 0208 359 2088 if you want a seminar on Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) at your workplace
- Contact Branch on contactus@barnetunison.org.uk or ring on 0208 359 2088 for a 1-1 meeting for information on LGPS
End.
Notes to Editors.
Contact details: John Burgess Barnet UNISON on or 020 8359 2088 or email: john.burgess@barnetunison.org.uk
Background:
Below are a few links of the post transfer consultations with Capita which resulted in wholesale cuts to the local workforce.
1. The Pensions Regulator fines Barnet Council for failing to submit pension documentation
2. Capita consultation on proposed sacking of Barnet Council Pension workforce as jobs move to Darlington (2013).
3. Barnet UNISON Press Release: “From hard working families to ‘scroungers’ – Capita redundancies
4. THE EMPEROR’S NEW CLOTHES
“But he hasn’t got anything on,” a little child said.
“Did you ever hear such innocent prattle?” said its father. And one person whispered to another what the child had said, “He hasn’t anything on. A child says he hasn’t anything on.”
“But he hasn’t got anything on!” the whole town cried out at last.
http://www.andersen.sdu.dk/vaerk/hersholt/TheEmperorsNewClothes_e.html
