For those visitors who want to see how the CABP evolved from its very first video in 2007, click here.
The CABP has been able to rock the boat in Parliaments in Ottawa, and London and will continue to do so until we have pension parity…
In March 2021, in Ottawa, Paul Manly, MP, Green Party put forward a Motion to Parliament requesting the Canadian Government to have discussions with the UK Government regarding indexing our pensions. The Motion was passed unilaterally.
In November 2018, through the All Party Parliamentary Group for Frozen British Pensions (APPG), and the End Frozen Pensions campaign Group, further support was being sought through this Parliamentary event.
In October, 2018, 93 year-old World War Two veteran Anne Puckridge travelled from Canada to Westminster to meet MPs to tell them her story of living on a frozen pension. On 15 November, Anne then went to Number 10 Downing Street to hand in a petition of 267,100 signatures calling for an end to the injustice of frozen pensions.
Successive UK Governments have lied, cheated and prevaricated over this issue for more than 70 years. The British government is traitorous and disingenuous to it’s own people based solely on where they choose to retire. Time to engage in this fight for justice. In November 2018, Anne Puckridge discussed this with the BBC…
In September 2016, John Markham, who had been an advocate for British retirees in Canada for many years says he hopes the government will help negotiate a better deal on indexing UK pensions. The are 127,118 British retirees who live in Canada and don’t receive the annual increases in their UK pension payments.
In October 2013, in the run up to Remembrance Day, Vic Williams, who was a long time member of the CABP, made a personal appeal to David Cameron who was then the British Prime Minister. Vic, who was a decorated veteran of WW2, made this appeal on behalf of all veterans who are affected by the disgraceful treatment by the UK Government.
Our complete video library….
Subscribe to Frozen UK State Pension channel Now!
Whilst our Social Media Footprint can be found on all of the platforms above (and yes, the CABP does have an account with the majority of these platforms!), here, we focus mainly on Facebook and Twitter. Below, you can see our most recent Facebook posts and Twitter’s Tweets – you do not need to have a registered account with either of them.
FACEBOOK POSTS:
State pension frustration as woman, 78, lives on sum of £43 per week – ‘frightening!’
“Just this month, electricity has gone up 13%. It is frightening to think about the future as food, rates and taxes, fuel, etc are going up all the time but our income stays the same.”
“My father and mother also retired [in Australia], but returned to the UK after seven years because his pension was frozen and he anticipated he’d need medical care, which the NHS eventually had to provide for a number of years. They both missed their grandchildren as a consequence….and me, of course!”
“Gretel worked in the UK from the age of 15 for more than 25 years before moving back to Antigua with her mother.. Now that Gretel has begun receiving her British pension, her right has also been frozen.”
17th September 2021
State pension could rise by £300 next year – but half a million to miss out
STATE PENSION looks set to rise by almost £300 next year as inflation soars in the UK, but over half a million Britons will miss out on the additional income as their pension payments remain frozen….
7th September 2021
27TH AUGUST 2021
Retirement warning: Over 50’s moving abroad urged to check if state pension will be FROZEN
THE DREAM of retiring abroad to a place in the sun has long been the dream for Brits looking to spend their retirement years in comfort…..
22nd August 2021
Why aren’t we getting the same?’ State pension dismay as 500,000 miss out on boost
STATE PENSION dismay is being shared by retired British expats, many of whom are missing out on annual boost to their entitlement….
Social Security (Uprating of Benefits) Bill, 20th September 2021
Sir Peter Bottomley (Con)
I seldom speak on these procedural motions. I do not think that they are always justified, but I think that this one is. It is not a time to go into the merits of the Bill, but I will say that many of us would like to use it as a Christmas tree. I am thinking of, for example, the frozen overseas pensions…”
David Linden (SNP)
Members will be aware that the UK has a series of historical reciprocal arrangements to provide for the uprating of state pensions in certain countries. Most recently, the Government committed in the Brexit trade deal to uprating the state pensions of UK pensioners in the European economic area. UK pensioners in other countries such as the USA, Philippines, Israel and Jamaica continue to receive their full payments. However, the arbitrary system means that pensioners in other countries- and, indeed, even in British overseas territories such as the Falkland Islands – have their pensions frozen despite their having paid in the same dues. More than 90% of affected pensioners live in Commonwealth countries with close cultural ties to the UK. The UK is the only country in the OECD to take this two-tier approach to state pensions; I ask the Minister to reflect on that.”
Margaret Ferrier (SNP)
I want to raise the plight of the 4% of UK pensioners who are excluded from the Bill and have had
their state pensions frozen because they happen to live in the wrong country. All pensioners who
have paid their dues should be entitled to the full uprated state pension, yet half a million British
pensioners living around the world have been left behind year on year. Does the hon. Member agree that it is disgraceful to be leaving our pensioners in that situation without dignity, financial security and respect and that the Government must address those frozen pensions?”
Jim Shannon (DUP)
I wholeheartedly endorse that. It is always good to have these debates to which others bring their knowledge and information, and the hon. Lady highlights something that clearly needs to be addressed.”
Written questions to the Department for Work and Pensions
David Linden MP – SNP
Question 1 – Social Security Benefits: Canada (UIN 49240)
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when she last received correspondence from the Canadian Government on a reciprocal social security agreement; and if she will place a copy of that correspondence in the Library?
DWP responded on 21 September 2021:
The Government last received correspondence from the Canadian Government in November 2020.
The Department does not routinely place its correspondence with foreign Government officials in the Library. However, the Department responded to Canadian officials explaining the Government’s longstanding policy position.
Departmental Ministers have not met Canadian Ministers to discuss the issue of frozen pensions and there are no plans for such a meeting”
Question 2 – State Retirement Pensions: Canada (UIN 49239)
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she plans to meet Deb Schulte, member of the Canadian Parliament, to discuss frozen pensions?
DWP responded on 21 September 2021:
The Government last received correspondence from the Canadian Government in November 2020.
The Department does not routinely place its correspondence with foreign Government officials in the Library. However, the Department responded to Canadian officials explaining the Government’s longstanding policy position.
Departmental Ministers have not met Canadian Ministers to discuss the issue of frozen pensions and there are no plans for such a meeting”
Question 3 – State Retirement Pensions: Canada (UIN 49237)
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she plans to meet with representatives of the Canadian Government to discuss frozen pensions?
DWP responded on 21 September 21:
The Government last received correspondence from the Canadian Government in November 2020.
The Department does not routinely place its correspondence with foreign Government officials in the Library. However, the Department responded to Canadian officials explaining the Government’s longstanding policy position.
Departmental Ministers have not met Canadian Ministers to discuss the issue of frozen pensions and there are no plans for such a meeting”
Question 4 – State Retirement Pensions: Canada (UIN 49238)
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she has recently received a request from the Canadian Government to discuss frozen pensions.
DWP Responded 0n 21 September 2021:
The Government last received correspondence from the Canadian Government in November 2020.
The Department does not routinely place its correspondence with foreign Government officials in the Library. However, the Department responded to Canadian officials explaining the Government’s longstanding policy position.
Departmental Ministers have not met Canadian Ministers to discuss the issue of frozen pensions and there are no plans for such a meeting.
Question 5 – State Retirement Pensions: Canada (UIN 49236)
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she or Ministers in her Department have met with representatives of the Canadian Government to discuss frozen pensions?
DWP responded on 21 September 2021:
The Government last received correspondence from the Canadian Government in November 2020.
The Department does not routinely place its correspondence with foreign Government officials in the Library. However, the Department responded to Canadian officials explaining the Government’s longstanding policy position.
Departmental Ministers have not met Canadian Ministers to discuss the issue of frozen pensions and there are no plans for such a meeting”
THANK YOU DAVID FOR ASKING THESE QUESTIONS, THOUGH THEY DREW DUPLICATE MONOTONOUS RESPONSES FROM THE DWP
HOLLY LYNCH – State Retirement Pensions: Windrush Generation (UIN 41026)
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the Government’s frozen pensions policy on members of the Windrush generation?
DWP responded on 8th September 2021:
The policy on up-rating UK state pensions overseas is a long-standing one of successive post-war Governments. The UK State Pension is payable worldwide and is up-rated where there is a legal requirement to do so. There are no plans to change this.
No assessment has been made.
THANK YOU HOLLY FOR STANDING UP FOR THE WINDRUSH GENERATION
Work and Pensions Committee
Select Committee Chair, Stephen Timms MP:
I understand the concern of pensioners living overseas whose UK pensions are frozen. The current rules are, however, longstanding, and the Select Committee is not currently proposing to inquire into them.”
