Hillingdon pension fund faces pressure to divest from Palestine

Hillingdon Council's Pensions Committee convened on 9 December 2025, addressing a petition from local residents and the Hillingdon Palestine Solidarity Campaign (HPSC) urging the divestment of pension fund investments from companies allegedly complicit in violations of Palestinian rights. The committee was recommended to note the petition and submission made by the petition organiser and ask any clarification questions, according to the agenda item in the Public Reports Pack.

The petition, signed by 1,045 Hillingdon residents, calls for the council to:

• Divest the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) fund administered by the council from companies complicit in Israel's actions against Palestinians. This includes arms companies, companies providing infrastructure for Israel's unlawful military occupation of Palestinian land and companies conducting business activity in Israel's illegal settlements on stolen Palestinian land. The petition also specifically mentions Barclays bank.
• Use its influence as part of London Collective Investment Vehicle (CIV) to publicly lobby it to divest from companies enabling Israel's human rights abuses.
• End procurement contracts with companies complicit in Israel's attacks, singling out Barclays for providing financing to weapon suppliers.

The London Collective Investment Vehicle (CIV), established in 2015, manages London Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) assets. According to meeting information, the London CIV is one of eight U.K. LGPS asset pooling companies, with the 32 London Boroughs and City of London acting as shareholders and clients.