News Releases
The following News Releases and associated documents are available for reading and/or downloading from the red links. They are available to be viewed in Acrobat PDF format. To download the file, right click on the link and use "save link as" to save file to your hard drive. To obtain the free Acrobat Reader (Version 6.0 or later) or its plug-in for your browser, please visit the Adobe Acrobat web site.
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23 March 2010 Status Report following ECHR Judgment
European Court of Human
Rights
delivers disappointing
verdict
~ CABP
still contemplating next steps ~
On 16 March 2010, the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human
Rights ruled in an 11/6 decision that the United Kingdom can continue to
withhold annual index-linked increases of the UK basic state pension from
155,450 pensioners living in Canada and some 400,000 more living in other
similarly ‘frozen’ countries.
The judgment, including the decision of the six dissenting judges, can
be read on the court’s web site: http://www.echr.coe.int/ECHR/homepage_en.
CABP and our partners in the International Consortium of British
Pensioners are currently taking stock and examining the possibilities going
forward.
The case was filed by eight pensioners resident in Canada plus
five others. It was underwritten by
members of CABP along with those in four other international pensioner
organizations and with the support of the Canadian government.
-- END --
ECHR Decision Letter, 1st March 2010
Dear Member
Judgement
Day
Our Legal Counsel has advised CABP that judgement on our "FROZEN
PENSION" case will be handed down at 11.30 am Strasbourg time on Tuesday
March 16th. A further letter or e-mail will be sent to current members soon
after that date stating the verdict.
Please don't call the office on the 16th or 17th as we will need to keep the lines free for the press.
Peter Kennan,
C.A.B.P. Chairman
April 2009
Expats granted right to pensions appeal... reported by Ava Hubble of the Telegraph.co.uk
European Court of Human Rights decision on the referral to the Grand Chamber A Canadian Alliance of British Pensioners News Release. Please select ECHR to download and read the letter and the news of our case being heard by the Grand Chamber. This press release has been sent to all major Canadian media outlets but feel free to make your local regional weekly newspaper aware of its availability on our website. The full text of the notice received from the European Court of Human Rights is available for download here.
December 2008
Sterling: Weak pound sees pension income for overseas Britons drop by £220 a month ... reported by Richard Evans of the Telegraph.co.uk
November 2008
Court rejects claim of expat frozen pension campaigners ... reported by Ava Hubble of the Telegraph.co.uk
October 2008
CABP article in Muchmor Canada Magazine. To access the on-line edition, please select Muchmor Canada You can view the issue in its flip book format using this link. There is also a headline on the cover and a mention in the editorial. The article begins on page 44 and the easiest way to access it, once you have the magazine file open, is to point at the top right-hand corner of the cover, left click your mouse, and the magazine will open to pages 2 and 3. Look down the right hand column of the Contents on page 3, find the heading "Moving to Canada", then point to "44 Your British state pension ..." and it will take you straight to the article. Use the zoom feature to magnify the text to a readable size. If you experience any difficulty with this, you may download the PDF version (48 Mb) from here.
September 2008
Gordon Brown's speech at the Labour Party Conference.....You Tube video - The mission of our times: the fair society. This is the whole speech, lasting approximately 58 minutes, with the claim of "fairness is in our DNA" at the 22 minute mark.
May 2008
Chairman's Message on the European Court of Human Rights decision in the Burden case ......A Canadian Alliance of British Pensioners News Release. Please select Chairman's Message to read the letter and the news of our case being re-activated. The full text of the judgment is available here.
April 2008
Chairman's Message on the update from the European Court of Human Rights ......A Canadian Alliance of British Pensioners News Release. Please select Chairman's Message to read the update and the news on the pending judgment in the Burden case.
March 2008
A good Budget, but only for those who've decided to leave Britain... reported by Alison Steed of the Telegraph.co.uk
Overseas pensions campaigner slams Government promises... Jim Tilley, Hon Chairman
British Pensions in Australia, writing in the UK's Mature Times
December 2007
Hands across the sea helped OAP to uprating... reported by Ava Hubble of the EXPAT.Telegraph.co.uk
September 2007
A victory for short-changed pensioners... reported by Ava Hubble of the EXPAT.Telegraph.co.uk
January 2007
UK pensions are the measliest in Europe... reported by Becky Borrow of the Daily Mail
December 2006
Press Release issued by Canadian Alliance of British Pensioners to UK press
This explains the mechanism by which pensions are frozen and what needs to be done to reverse the annual ritual.
October 2006
Angry pensioners besiege Westminster... reported by Brendan Carlin, Political Correspondent of the EXPAT.Telegraph.co.uk
Maori claim British pensions... reported in theEXPAT.Telegraph.co.uk
Pensioners hit by big bill after coding error by social security staff... reported by Ava Hubble of the EXPAT.Telegraph.co.uk
August 2006
Inflation increase anomalies still exist.... reported by Harriet Meyer of the EXPAT.Telegraph.co.uk
June 2006
Ray of sunshine for expats as earnings link is set to be restored to state pension.... reported by Alison Steed of the EXPAT.Telegraph.co.uk
November 2005
Avoid the paperwork and ease into retirement.... reported by Harriet Meyer of the EXPAT.Telegraph.co.uk
Frozen pensions case to go to Europe.... reported by Ava Hubble of the EXPAT.Telegraph.co.uk
August 2005
Where you live can change the growth of your pension.... reported by Herriet Meyer of the EXPAT.Telegraph.co.uk
June 2005
How frozen pensions blight life in the sun.... reported by Becky barrows of the EXPAT.Telegraph.co.uk
Pensioner 'offended' by lords ruling.... Reported in the EXPAT.Telegraph.co.uk
May 2005
Grievance ‘understandable but not justified’.... Reported in the EXPAT.Telegraph.co.uk
She must have known her pension would be frozen.... reported in the EXPAT.Telegraph.co.uk
Australia 'appalled' at cost of topping up UK pensions.... reported by Ava Hubble and Becky Barrow of the EXPAT.Telegraph.co.uk
Press Release issued by Canadian Alliance of British Pensioners
Lords reject expat pensions plea.....Reported by Becky Barrow of the EXPAT.Telegraph.co.uk
Expat loses pension increase case.....BBC on-line BBC News at BBC.co.uk
March 2005
Choose your country carefully.....Reported by Melanie Wright of the EXPAT.Telegraph.co.uk
Expats angry at lack of Tory support over pensions.....Reported by Ava Hubble of the EXPAT.Telegraph.co.uk
Pensions for expats depends on the 'lottery of where you decide to live'.....Reported by David McMillan of the EXPAT.Telegraph.co.uk
EXPAT pensioners 'are like KGB'.....Reported by Rupert Jones of the Guardian.co.uk
February 2005
Pensioners abroad fight for parity.....Reported by Patrick Collinson of the Guardian.co.uk
UK expat's claim to full pension goes to the Lords.....Reported by Christine Seib of the TimesOnline.co.uk
Expats fight 'injustice' of state pension.....Reported by Harriet Meyer of the EXPAT.Telegraph.co.uk
December 2004
Revoke cold-hearted law that freezes out pensioners abroad.....THE EXPRESS ESSAY by Virginia Blackburn of the International Express
November 2004
A Veteran of Churchill's War Room.....Reported by Ava Hubble of the EXPAT.Telegraph.co.uk
October 2004
Beating the freeze back in Britain.....Reported by Ava Hubble of the EXPAT.Telegraph.co.uk
August 2004
'we shouldn't still be fighting.....'Reported by Ava Hubble of the EXPAT.Telegraph.co.uk
July 2004
Pensions lobby urges expats to back Lib Dems.....Reported by Ava Hubble of the EXPAT.Telegraph.co.uk
June 2004
Lord's to rule on expat pensions.....Reported by Alison Steed of the EXPAT.Telegraph.co.uk
D-Day veteran caught in frozen pension trap.....Reported by Ava Hubble of the EXPAT.Telegraph.co.uk
April 2004
Frozen Pensions Appeal Date set.....Reported by the EXPAT.Telegraph.co.uk
Frozen Pension Appeal To Lords 'not this year'.....Latest contribution from Ava Hubble in the EXPAT.Telegraph.co.uk
March 2004
Frozen pensions: 'desperate' situation .....Please see piece by Melanie Wright in the EXPAT.Telegraph.co.uk
November 2003
Overseas Pensioners Granted Leave to Appeal to the House of Lords.....Please see Press Release from Ms Carson's Solicitor, Graham Christie of the law firm Thomas Eggar
October 2003
Pressure mounts on frozen pensions.....Another contribution from Ava Hubble in the EXPAT.Telegraph.co.uk
Fresh attack on Britain over Expat pensions.....Ava Hubble's contribution in the EXPAT.Telegraph.co.uk
August 2003
Progress Report...Please see South African Alliance August Newsletter.SAABP
July 2003
Overseas pensioners take battle to the House of Lords.....Carson news release. Please see House of Lords
June 2003
Pensions of 450,000 who live abroad stay frozen... Please see Becky Barrow's piece in the Daily Telegraph
Carson Case Judgement - a loss and no appeal to House of Lords allowed - This morning (17th June) in London and some Media coverage, from the BBC, can be seen from the following link..Andrew Verity of the BBC, Expat pensioner loses case Also includes a video clip of interview with CABP's Ian Bold.
March 2003
The Carson Case is before the Appeal Court in London and some of the Media coverage from the BBC and Telegraph can be seen from the following links..Andrew Verity of the BBC, BBC news on-line, and Becky Barrow in the Daily Telegraph
November 2002
500 letter petition handed into British High Commission by CABP-Ottawa Chapter members during Queen's Visit....view the video clip from CJOH Ottawa TV news. The clip is available in one of three sizes, please choose the size appropriate to your internet download speed:
June 2002
UK Human Rights appeal expects new funding help from Canada.....Canadian Alliance news release. Please see APPEAL
May 2002
Comment....By Paul Lewis in the Weekly Telegraph. Click here for commentary on the Human Rights Act in relation to the Carson case. For other articles from the Weekly telegraph, see Weekly Telegraph
UK High Court decision lets down pensioners.....Australian Senator, the Hon Amanda Vanstone, Minister for Family & Community Services - statement made after the judgement handed down. Click here for full story.
Frozen UK pensioners lose a court battle.....Canadian Alliance news release. Please see Court Battle
The judgement has been published on the Court Service Website.....Web page with supporting documentation in attachments - Please see Judgement
Expats lose battle for better pensions....BBC news on-line, provides coverage of Mr Justice Stanley Burnton's ruling in the Carson case, before the High Court in London. Accessed from the same web page, - please watch the streaming media commentary by Andrew Verity.
April 2002
Court clash over expat pension rights....BBC news on-line, provides coverage of the end of the final day in the High Court case in London.
'Unjust' Pensions Policy Challenged.... BBC news on-line, provides early coverage of the start to the Court case in London.
Canada backs legal case against UK...Please see Canada and also BBC news on-line, The BBC reports that Jane Stewart, the Canadian Human Resources Development Minister, has sent a letter of support to Ms Carson's lawyer in London.
March 2002
Australia attacks UK over pensions...BBC news on-line, item explains Australian attempt to proceed with intervention in the Carson Case due before the courts in April.
Britain's Insurance fund surplus rises by another £2.5 Billion.....Commentary on latest Pension Uprating statutory changes in light of growing surplus. Please see Pension Upgrade story.
Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. CHOGM 2002 - NOW ON in Brisbane, Australia For latest details please go to CHOGM, but for convenience, here is a PDF version of the open letter to Tony Blair featured on the CHOGM site.
February 2002
Commonwealth pensioners increasingly angry at Britain..... Update on the Human Rights court challenge, due before the High Court in London on the 15th and 16th April, has gained additional funding. Click here for latest Canadian Alliance of British Pensioners (CABP) Press release.
October 2001
Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. POSTPONED
Scheduled to be held in Brisbane, Australia - for specific details of this event, please go to CHOGM
For those attending the Conference - please make a point to visit the British Australian Pensioner Association stand at Booth DE 12 in Hall 4 of the Brisbane Convention Centre from 2nd to the 8th of October.
September 2000
£3 Pension Results in Pension Poverty..... Evidence of frozen pensioners who are heavily reliant on UK weekly pensions currently as low as £3.38 (Cnd$7.17) have been recorded in a summary of a sample of 13 impoverished British expatriate pensioners living in South Africa and Canada. Click here for latest Canadian Alliance of British Pensioners (CABP) Press release.
Letter to French President, M. Jacques Chirac, calling on him to use his "...good office to prevail upon the shameless Government...of the United Kingdom...to end pension freezing". Issued by the World Alliance of British Expatriate Pensioners and available as follows:
"British Pensioners Appeal to French for Help" - News release issued by the World Alliance of British Expatriate Pensioners. Click here to view in English, and Click here for the version in French.
August 2000
"Pensioner Poverty Inquiry" - A copy of the World Alliance of British Expatriate Pensioners (WABEP) submission to the Social Security Committee of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom. This includes a 1 page summary of research into a sample of 13 British expatriate pensioners living in South Africa and Canada who are relying heavily on UK pensions of three and four pounds a week - frozen at those levels by Britain for the last 30 years or so. This can be viewed here (55kb/12pages)
Pension freezing cheats elderly out of more than £50,000.....
Click here to view the Canadian Alliance of British Pensioners (CABP) latest news release
For further details, please contact Canadian Alliance of British Pensioners, 202 - 605 Royal York Road, Toronto. M8Y 4G5 CANADA. or
phone or Fax: (416) 253-6402 or (604) 683-3445 or
e-mail via info@britishpensions.com