A £470 triple lock boost is set to be withheld from 500,000 pensioners living abroad, who are excluded from annual state pension upratings due to their residency in the “wrong” country.
The End Frozen Pensions Campaign is a movement aimed at ending this injustice for nearly half a million British pensioners who experience this financial hardship.
The Frozen Pension Dilemma
For pensioners residing in countries without a reciprocal agreement with the UK, their state pension remains “frozen.”
This means their pension is locked at the amount they first received when they left the UK, or when they initially started collecting their pension. As a result, these pensions lose real value over time due to inflation and cost of living increases.
Campaign for Change: What the End Frozen Pensions Campaign Demands
The campaign calls for the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to reassess and change its policy regarding pension uprating for citizens living abroad.
According to the campaign, the government’s refusal to address this issue reflects a long-standing failure to protect vulnerable UK citizens abroad, particularly those relying on their pensions in retirement.
The End Frozen Pensions Campaign emphasizes the fact that many of these pensioners, including over 60,000 veterans and numerous civil servants, spent their working lives contributing to British society.
Despite their service, they are left struggling under this policy, which is described as a political choice rather than an inevitability. The campaign further argues that this issue could be resolved unilaterally by the UK government through domestic legislation, ending the freeze on pensions for those living overseas.
Impact of the Frozen Pensions Policy
The ongoing policy has profound implications for the pensioners affected. These individuals are missing out on the £470 Triple Lock hike, a boost in their state pension meant to help improve their standard of living.
According to the UK government’s stance, the policy on the uprating of UK state pensions paid abroad has been in place for years. It states:
- State pensions are paid worldwide without regard to nationality.
- Pensions are only uprated abroad when there is a legal agreement in place with a country that mandates uprating.
- The government has no plans to extend Bilateral Social Security Agreements to include state pension upratings for recipients living abroad.
Survey Findings: The Financial Struggles of Affected Pensioners
A recent survey conducted by End Frozen Pensions revealed troubling statistics about the financial impact of the policy:
| Survey Findings | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Pensioners cutting back on essentials (food and medicine) | 40% |
| Pensioners who have struggled financially due to the policy | 51% |
These numbers highlight the severe impact of the frozen pension policy, with many pensioners being forced to make difficult decisions about their basic living expenses.
The End Frozen Pensions Campaign is rallying for a change in the government’s stance on this issue, urging officials to act in the best interests of UK pensioners who live abroad.
The campaign believes that no pensioner should be subject to financial hardship because of their place of residence, and that ending the frozen pensions policy would bring relief to those who have worked their entire lives for the benefits they are currently denied.
FAQs
What is the frozen pensions policy?
The frozen pensions policy means that pensioners living outside the UK receive their state pension at the rate it was when they first left the UK, without annual increases, which results in a loss of value over time due to inflation.
Who does the End Frozen Pensions Campaign represent?
The campaign represents over 500,000 British pensioners living abroad who are excluded from annual pension upratings due to their country of residence.
What is the government’s position on the frozen pensions issue?
The government maintains that the policy on uprating state pensions abroad has been longstanding and will not be extended to countries without a reciprocal agreement for uprating.