Julian Barker CDC civil and a servant to us at the DWP

I have been told by the DWP that the CDC Unconnected Multi-Employer (UMES) Regulations have been approved by both Houses of Parliament and were formally made (I.E. signed by the minister) yesterday and will come into effect at the end of July 2026.

Although this had been assumed to happen, the fact that it has – is a great relief to those, like me, who have been friends of CDC for well over a decade and had at some points never thought this would happen.

I am pleased it has happened within days of the announcement of David Pitt-Watson’s imminent peerage. Recognition by the Labour Party and King Charles is an honour to David and to CDC, the two are synonymous.

It is persistent of the DWP civil servants led by Julian Barker to get this regulation on the books and as they are usually pilloried by me for not getting regulation to happen, I really ought to thank them.

We have a barrage of complaints that the roadmap for Retirement CDC does not map onto the needs of DC schemes to get the 2027 requirements from its separate roadmap. Let’s make a little noise for regulation arriving when expected.

The Hansard report of the CDC UMES regulations being read in the House of Lords , complete with some extensive speeches by Bryn Davies (Lord Brixton) and Baroness Sherlock (who acts for the Government on DWP matters) is here.

There is more of this to come but not this year and I suspect next. Many are arguing that this UMES CDC is unimportant, but that disregards the importance an increase in pay of up to 60% for the rest of your life , is to people my age! UMES CDC is here, Retirement CDC is not.

Julian has been through some serious illnesses in the past five years and I am very happy for him personally.

I will finish with a promise from the DWP which sums up why we all will be friends of CDC in time.