22 November 2022
Press Coverage of the Campaign
I spoke on GB News about the complete scandal that is the frozen pensions of thousands of British pensioners living in commonwealth countries across the world.
These British pensioners live in countries without reciprocal pension agreements. As such, their state pension is frozen at the rate when they left the United Kingdom and so fall in real value year on year.
The majority of these pensioners moved abroad out of necessity to live with or near their families in countries such as Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
Many served our country as nurses, firemen, police officers and other public servants, some are military veterans. They will have rightly paid their National Insurance throughout their working lives.
Too many are now living in poverty despite paying their national insurance contributions in full. Many have been forced to return to the UK with the daunting prospect of an expensive and upsetting upheaval to the UK in their old age, leaving the care of their families, and further straining the already strained NHS and social care system.
To go on doing nothing is an insult to these thousands of British pensioners who have worked hard for what they rightfully deserve.
The cost will continue to rise. We must draw a line and end this mad scandal of a policy. The Treasury will have to pay at some point, why not now before it is too late?
As treasurer of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Frozen British Pensions, I will continue to campaign to end this cruel policy.
Let us hope the Treasury sees sense and ends this gross injustice.
09 March 2020
House of Commons
Today, on Commonwealth Day, I have tabled an Early Day Motion to bring attention to the injustice of frozen pensions as over 90% of people living on a ‘frozen’ pension are based in Commonwealth countries.
I urge colleagues to join in pressuring the Government to take urgent action.
'This House celebrates Commonwealth Day and the shared goals and bonds between Commonwealth nations; but regrets that half a million UK pensioners living overseas in ‘frozen’ countries, of which over 90% are Commonwealth nations, are suffering unfairly because the value of their pension is frozen and not up-rated annually in line with inflation, plunging thousands of UK pensioners including veterans and former public servants into poverty; and calls on the Government to uprate the pensions of all UK pensioners in line with the triple lock regardless of where they live.’
08 March 2019
House of Commons
During a debate on Commonwealth relations, I raised the important subject of mutual recognition of pensions.
I made the suggestion that the Government, as and when Commonwealth parliamentarians get together, ought to work how to force on to the agenda the scandalous discrimination against pensioners from this country and to ensure mutual recognition of pensions.
When they live in retirement in other Commonwealth countries, they do not get inflation increases to their state pensions.
I asked whether the Commonwealth secretariat could publish which other Commonwealth countries make the same kind of imposition on people who would otherwise be able to share in the fruits of their retirement.
04 March 2019
House of Commons
Three years ago, the Government introduced the new state pension, which provides a transparent and sustainable foundation for private saving and retirement planning. The Government also commited to increase the full rate to £168.60, inline with the highest inflation rate. This was welcome news.
However, that increase does not go to half our overseas pensioners, including those in South Africa, Canada and Australia and other places — 50 countries around the world.
Earlier this week, I signed a letter to the Government calling on it to help 520,000 British Pensioners who have been affected by the unfair freeze on pensions being drawn from foreign countries.
I asked the Minister to confirm whether the Government intends to address this.
His response was unsatisfactory to say the least.
The campaign continues.
February 2019
Open Letter to the Prime Minister
I was happy to join many colleagues in Parliament in uniting with over 520,000 British Pensioners who have been affected by the unfair freeze on their pensions in writing to the Prime Minister to End Frozen Pensions.
These British pensioners live in countries without reciprocal pension agreements. As such, their state pension is frozen at the rate when they left the United Kingdom and so fall in real value year on year.
The majority of these pensioners moved abroad out of necessity to live with or near their families in countries such as Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
Many served our country as nurses, firemen, police officers and other public servants, some are military veterans. Too many are now living in poverty despite paying their national insurance contributions in full. Many have been forced to return to the UK with the daunting prospect of an expensive and upsetting upheaval to the UK in their old age, leaving the care of their families, and further straining the already strained NHS and social care system.
As treasurer of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Frozen British Pensions, I will continue to campaign to end this cruel policy. I am pleased to see my colleagues uniting behind this campaign.
Progress will follow.