Rachel has welcomed the government’s landmark announcement that the £2.3 billion investment reserve held within the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme (BCSSS) will be released for the benefit of scheme members.
The decision, confirmed as part of the Labour government’s budget, means that BCSSS Trustees can now allocate the funds directly to members – a change long campaigned for by Rachel, fellow coalfield MPs, trustees of the scheme, the National Union of Mineworkers, and former coalmine staff.
The change means that BCSSS members will get a new bonus pension equal to 41% of each member’s guaranteed pension, backdated to 1 November 2024, ensuring BCSSS members are treated on the same basis as those in the Mineworkers’ Pension Scheme. The Labour government took similar action to release funds from the Mineworkers’ Pension Scheme last year.
Speaking after the announcement, Rachel said:
“I am absolutely delighted that this long-overdue change has finally been delivered. As the granddaughter of a local miner and the MP for a proud former mining community, I know just how much this will mean to hundreds of pensioners across North Warwickshire and Bedworth.
“These are the people who powered our country for decades. They deserve the full pension they earned, and I am incredibly proud that our campaigning has helped secure this outcome.”
Rachel has written directly to BCSSS members in her constituency to confirm the details of the announcement. The scheme has stated that the new bonus pension is expected to be included in monthly payments from 23 December 2025 – just in time for Christmas – and members will shortly receive personalised information regarding their increased pension and lump sum.
Rachel also thanked residents who attended the meeting she held in July in Baddesley Ensor with scheme Trustees, where members of the BCSSS scheme shared their experiences of working in and around the coalmines and what the change in government policy would mean for them.
In her letter to local BCSSS members, Rachel said:
“Your stories made a powerful difference. I shared them with ministers to demonstrate the deep sense of injustice felt by so many, and the life-changing impact this decision will have.”
Alongside her campaign on pensions, Rachel has also been supporting community efforts to restore local miners’ memorials. After raising concerns with Tesco about the condition of “The Miners Grip” memorial in Bedworth, a maintenance job has now been scheduled, and the site will be cleaned soon. Earlier this year after learning that the lights were not working on the Birch Coppice memorial, she contacted IM properties who arranged for the necessary repairs to be carried out.
Rachel added:
“It has been a real privilege to work with so many former mining families on this issue. This announcement is a huge win for our community, and I will continue standing up for everyone who relies on these pension schemes.”