Pension Delays Apology and Romance Scams
Money Box
BBC
4.2 • 825 Ratings
🗓️ 14 March 2026
⏱️ 25 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
The Chief Executive of Capita Public Services has apologised for the serious delays thousands of civil servants are facing simply to get paid their pensions. Richard Holroyd was speaking to MPs on the Public Accounts Committee on Thursday when he admitted his service was "overwhelmed" when it took over the running of the civil service pension scheme in December. We'll get reaction from people affected and hear from Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, the Conservative Chair of the Public Accounts Committee.
Love might be in the air for some today - but with the roses and candlelight, comes a warning about criminals working in the shadows to trick people into giving away their money. Romance scams are types of fraud when a scammer pretends to be in a relationship with someone to gain money or personal information from them. They often start online or on social media. More than twenty million pounds was lost to romance scams in the first half of last year, up more than a third compared to 2024. We'll hear from one listener who says he lost £30,000 to a romance scam.
How will a planned replacement to the Lifetime ISA work and what will it mean for people who’ve already got one?
And what to do if you think you might be eligible for the Warm Homes Discount this winter but haven't had the payment yet.
Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporter: Dan Whitworth Researchers: Jo Krasner and Niamh McDermott Editor: Jess Quayle Senior News Editor: Sara Wadeson
(First broadcast 12pm Saturday 14th February 2026)
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | BBC Sounds, music, radio, podcasts. |
| 0:07.2 | Savings, credit cards, car finance, reclaiming, insurance, investing, power of attorney, decision, |
| 0:12.2 | indecision, analysis, paralysis. |
| 0:15.4 | Don't panic. |
| 0:16.4 | The Martin Lewis podcast is twice weekly, helping you navigate our complex consumer world. |
| 0:21.2 | I'll walk you through a big money saving topic step by step. |
| 0:24.5 | Then in question time, you set the agenda and ask whatever's on your mind. |
| 0:28.6 | Would you rather be locked in an empty shopping centre with a thousand snakes or just one gorilla? |
| 0:33.6 | Within reason. |
| 0:34.2 | The Martin Lewis podcast, listen on BBC Sounds. Hello, welcome to this Moneybox |
| 0:40.3 | podcast. One listener, looking for love, explain how a £50 pound loan turned into a £30,000 |
| 0:47.4 | romance fraud by a thief. The government wants to replace the lifetime ISA, which helps people buy |
| 0:53.9 | their first home, |
| 0:54.9 | but will it be better or worse? |
| 0:57.4 | And as the cold bites, listeners ask why a £150 discount off one electricity bill for 6 million people may not arrive until spring. |
| 1:08.3 | But first, dreadful, shambles, a mess, words chosen to describe the current crisis |
| 1:15.2 | at the civil service pension scheme by the Chair of Parliament's Public Accounts Committee. |
| 1:21.0 | Sir Geoffrey Clifton Brown MP was speaking after the man responsible for the delays appeared |
| 1:26.0 | before his committee on Thursday. |
| 1:28.4 | Richard Holroy is the chief executive of Capita Public Services. |
| 1:32.1 | It took over the management of the pension scheme in December. |
| 1:35.3 | And as Moneybox reported last week, thousands of retiring civil servants have faced long delays |
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