<\/a>speech on Wednesday Rachel Reeves said she had made the decision to meet their demands after pressure from Labour MPs.<\/p>\nThe decision is expected to impact around 800 pensioners in Stoke-on-Trent and Newcastle-under-Lyme who worked at sites like Silverdale Colliery and Chatterley Whitfield.<\/p>\n
Ms Reeves said: “I will transfer the investment reserve fund of the BCSSS to its members so that the men and women who worked in our coal industry get a fair deal in their retirement too.”<\/p>\n
Adam Jogee MP, who represents Newcastle-under-Lyme, welcomed the Government\u2019s decision. He said the decision delivered ‘major pension justice’ for the 238 local members, and their families, in the borough.<\/p>\n
Mr Jogee, who is vice chair and West Midlands lead of the Labour Group of Coalfield MPs, said: “Former coalfield communities like ours here in Newcastle-under-Lyme and across North Staffordshire know what it means to stand up for, and recognise, the people who powered our country.<\/p>\n
“Today, justice has been secured for members of the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme (BCSSS) with the return of the \u00a32.3bn investment reserve.”Since my election, I have made it a priority to fight for the justice that British Coal Staff deserve. As the MP for a proud former coalfield community. I have pressed this case in Parliament, in meetings with the Chancellor, in discussions with Ministers, and through direct engagement with the BCSSS trustees to ensure that Newcastle-under-Lyme\u2019s voice has been heard loud and clear.”This is a major step forward. It rightly acknowledges the contribution of generations of coalfield workers \u2013 people whose knowledge, skill, and tenacity kept the lights on and powered Britain for decades. I know many across our borough will welcome this long-overdue progress.”For 238 BCSSS pensioners in Newcastle-under-Lyme, this means the uplift they have long deserved. It is proper recognition of their hard work and service \u2013 and a reminder that when we stand up for our communities and make our case clearly and consistently, we can deliver real and meaningful change.\u201d<\/p>\n
David Williams, MP for Stoke-on-Trent North and Kidsgrove, said the announcement delivers \u201clong-overdue justice for the people who kept this country running.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr Williams said: \u201cThis is a huge win for former mineworkers in our community. Returning the \u00a32.3 billion reserve is the right and overdue decision, and it brings long- awaited fairness to the people who powered Britain. I have pressed for this consistently since being elected, and I am proud that Labour has delivered for coalfield communities.\u201d<\/p>\n
![](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/1_AGR_ST_030720Pg89TWWWPeople.jpg\")
Silverdale Colliery in 1951<\/p>\n
\u201cOur mining heritage runs deep here; just look at the history at Chatterley Whitfield and listen to the stories of the proud former mineworkers who still call this place home. I will always stand up for them and ensure they receive the recognition and support they deserve.\u201d<\/p>\n
He added: \u201cThe 4.8 per cent rise in the State Pension is another important step that will help thousands of local pensioners with the cost of living.\u201d<\/p>\n
The BCSSS began in 1947 but, following the privatisation of the coal industry in 1994, the government became a guarantor. Under that deal, the government was entitled to half the surplus money but nothing has been taken since 2015 when that agreement ended.<\/p>\n
The government still guarantees the scheme’s pension benefits. According to a parliamentary briefing, between 1995 and 2015 the government received \u00a33.1 billion from the scheme and is due to have another payment of \u00a31.87 billion in 2023.<\/p>\n
The scheme has about 40,000 members, including up to 5,000 women and widows of former miners.<\/p>\n
Today\u2019s decision means BCSSS members will now be treated in the same way as former Mineworkers\u2019 Pension Scheme members, whose investment reserve was transferred last year. The Government has approved a new bonus pension equal to 41% of members\u2019 guaranteed pension, backdated to 1 November 2024. Payments will begin as soon as practicable, with pensioners expected to receive their enhanced payments \u2013 and a backdated lump sum \u2013 no later than Christmas 2025, subject to final processing timescales.<\/p>\n
Get daily headlines and breaking news emailed to you – it\u2019s FREE<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Ex-mine workers are set to receive extra retirement payments after the Chancellor announced she would release funds from…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":285689,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[84,4176,2053,4174,4175,229,21438,56,54,55],"class_list":{"0":"post-285688","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-personal-finance","8":"tag-business","9":"tag-finance","10":"tag-labour-party","11":"tag-personal-finance","12":"tag-personalfinance","13":"tag-politics","14":"tag-the-budget","15":"tag-uk","16":"tag-united-kingdom","17":"tag-unitedkingdom"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/285688","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=285688"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/285688\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/285689"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=285688"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=285688"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=285688"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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