Thread: Campaign for justice for British Expat pensioners

The Daily Telegraph is currently running a campaign, lobbying the UK govt to up-rate the frozen (not index linked) pensions of around half a million British expat pensioners living abroad.

Most Britons abroad receive an annual increases in line with the cost of living, however, those who emigrated to countries without reciprocal arrangements with the United Kingdom had their pensions frozen when they first started drawing their pension abroad.


The origins of the frozen pensions scandal dates back to 1929 when the contributory scheme, introduced in 1925, was extended to Britons living in far-flung corners of the British Empire.


Immediately after the Second World War the pension was only given to those considered to be low paid but by 1948 it was extended to all. However, this was the first time that a difference was made in the payments to those living overseas and to those based in the UK, according to the International Consortium of British Pensioners (ICPB).


At that time, the pension rate of 10 shillings went up to one pound six shillings, but this did not apply to overseas recipients. The reason? These people would never be members of the new National Insurance Scheme.


In 1955, the pension was given to British expats the world over, but because the pound was then under stress it was decided not to uprate the pension overseas. And that has remained the position ever since.


However, Britons living in the European Union benefit from mutual social security agreements, and there are reciprocal arrangements in place in some other countries, including the United States.


But popular retirement destinations - Australia, New Zealand and South Africa - are still out in the cold.

Don't forget the US, there's plenty of Brits living out here.
;)

and the campaign has seemingly been lost.

A European court has dismissed an appeal by a group of British expats to have their state pensions linked to inflation.


The ruling, which dismissed the final appeal possible in the eight-year case, said the British government's refusal to uprate the pensions does not breach the pensioners' human rights.


UK state pensions are not increased each year when paid to people living in around 150 countries.

This means over 500,000 British pensioners living abroad have their pensions frozen at the level at which they started to draw them from outside the UK.


The International Consortium of British Pensioners (ICBP) says a pensioner who began drawing a full pension in Australia in 1981 will still receive just £29.60 a week, adding up to missed payments of £100,000.


Lawyers for the British government said its priority is poor pensioners at home.

I find it really repulsive .................... there is NO justification, in not giving inflationary rises to UK pensioners pensions, i couldn't believe Europe turned their case down............. then again............. nothing surprises me with what they do.

They seem to hit the ones who have paid in and done the right thing, the Johny come latelys get it all on a plate and put nothing back !