Update on the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme (BCSSS)

Following the positive news on the Mine Workers Pension Scheme, thank you to everyone who has contacted me regarding the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme (BCSSS). As part of the group of Coalfield MPs in Parliament, I wanted to share the latest situation with you all.

As you will be aware, the Labour government committed in the 2024 General Election
manifesto to remedy the injustice of the Mineworkers Pension Scheme.

The Government has said that it is open to reviewing any proposal put in place by the trustees of the BCSSS, and we will wait to see what they suggest in the near future.

“Should the trustees of the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme (BCSSS) wish to make
proposals for changes that would be fair to both scheme members and taxpayers, we will consider them.”

The Trustees have updated MPs this week that they are engaging with the Government as part of the BCSSS 2024 valuation consultation process, and have indicated that they will take this as an opportunity to review the Scheme’s structure, identify any areas of unfairness similar to
MPS, and deliver better outcomes for members.

As a Member of Parliament that has significant coal mining heritage, I am part of a group of Coalfield MPs that meet regularly and our chair, Grahame Morris MP, is engaging with the trustees on their next steps.