The Labour Party ‘frozen pensions policy’ leaves thousands of UK expats without a state pension increase.
Nearly 500,000 state pensioners are set to miss out on a £470 triple lock boost next month despite the promise from the Labour Party government. The Labour Party ‘frozen pensions policy’ leaves thousands of UK expats without a state pension increase.
Half a million expat pensioners are set to miss out on the hike in the new tax year April. The frozen pensions issue continues to impact over 100,000 UK pensioners living in Canada, along with hundreds of thousands more worldwide.
But it is hoped Mark Carney’s appointment could change things. Carney, the former central banker who oversaw the response to financial crises in North America and the UK, will become the next prime minister of Canada after winning the race to lead the country’s federal Liberal party.
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Edwina Melville-Grey, Chair of End Frozen Pensions Canada, said: “We don’t imagine for a moment that Mr Carney will be reliant on whatever UK state pension he might be entitled to.
“However, we know for sure that many thousands of the affected UK state pensioners living in affected countries, including those in Canada, see their UK state pension as a vital lifeline helping them through arduous times.
“We know that he has many immense challenges on his desk right now and wish him well in meeting those. But we hope he will be able, when the time is right, to meet with our lead campaigner on this issue, 100-year-old Anne Puckridge. Her situation embodies the injustice of this scandal.”
John Duguid, Chair of End Frozen Pensions International, said: “Simply more needs to be done to address the ‘frozen’ pensions policy in diplomatic settings, and the election of Mark Carney as Canada’s Prime Minister paints the perfect opportunity to do so.
“The current political appetite surrounding trade and negotiations further reinforces the point that the cost to unfreeze pensions is extremely modest and will be an essential lifeline to many affected pensioners who are struggling to make ends meet.”