WW2 Veteran Pleads with Starmer: ‘End This Brutal Policy Now!’

Meet Anne Puckridge, a remarkable World War Two veteran who, at nearly 100 years old, is standing up for fairness. She believes Sir Keir Starmer has a “golden opportunity” to rectify a “brutal” policy that freezes pensions for over 453,000 British citizens living abroad.

Since moving to Canada in 2001 to be close to her daughter, Anne has seen her weekly pension stagnant at just £72.50. This is in stark contrast to the £169.50 received by pensioners who remain in the UK. How can this be fair?

After years of lobbying and a trip to Westminster, Anne is determined to raise awareness about this issue with the new government. She already has a meeting scheduled with Pensions Minister Emma Reynolds, though her request to speak directly with Sir Keir was declined due to his packed schedule.

Anne’s mission is personal. She candidly shares how frozen pensions affect every aspect of life. “You’ve got to be careful about entertainment,” she confides. “You can’t always be as generous to your grandchildren as you wish.” It’s a relentless reminder of the dignity lost—a feeling that the government has pushed them aside, rendering them “out of sight, out of mind.”

When she first notified the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) about her move, Anne was never warned about the pension freeze. “The first I knew was when my first raise was due, and I didn’t receive it. I was told no further increases would come,” she recalls. “It’s the injustice that stings so deeply, the fact that we were never warned.”

In the UK, the state pension is meant to rise each year under the “triple lock” system, which guarantees increases based on the highest of 2.5%, inflation, or earnings growth. But not all pensioners abroad enjoy this protection. Countries like the U.S., Canada, and Australia are left out, while pensioners in European countries continue to benefit. This glaring inequality has ignited outrage among advocates for just treatment.

Patrick Edwards, an Australian resident and campaigner, voiced the sentiments of many: “We’ve paid our dues, yet we’re treated differently just because of where we live.” The conversations around this policy are gaining traction, with diplomatic pressure growing from nations affected.

With the ongoing discussions, it’s becoming increasingly apparent that there’s little justification for treating overseas pensioners differently based solely on their location. The Institute for Economic Affairs has pointed out that while saving money is essential, the method currently employed lacks principle.

Despite the complexities, the End Frozen Pensions Campaign emphasizes that they are only advocating for a fair increase from the current frozen amounts, arguing that the cost is manageable. They estimate that only £55 million would be needed in the future to restore fairness to those who’ve paid into the system.

A spokesperson from the government stated, “We understand that people move abroad for various reasons and provide information regarding the financial implications of this transition. However, the policy regarding pension uprating for those living overseas has been longstanding.”