Returnees And Emigrants – Different Rights

Recent correspondence

James Nelson, BAPA Vice President, continues to fight for pensioners' rights. For those who are regular visitors to this page, the most recent letters are below. Join in the fight for your rights!

A letter by James Nelson F.F.A.

Dear Mr Rooker

I was delighted to read that the UK government will take an honourable position on the pensions of returnees, so that all residence in Australia up to 2001 will count as equivalent to contributions. I wonder, however, if the strange anomaly has occurred to you.

In a letter from Mrs Spiller, I read:

"In 19xx, the UK paid over £nnn million to UK pensioners living in Australia. Those people are contributing to the Australian economy and very many will have done so for many years as workers in Australia before they retired."

This was echoed by Baroness Amos in the House of Lords:

"My Lords, perhaps I may remind my noble friend that a number of those people claiming pensions overseas went abroad during their working lives and contributed for many years to the economies of those countries." (Hansard, 22 Jan 2001: Col. 3)

This is, of course, offered as an argument for not paying full indexation to emigrant pensioners. Now you know as well as I know, that your present policy affects most greatly those who spend a full working life in the UK but emigrate at or shortly after retirement. Consider the following two cases:

a. Mr A emigrates to Australia in mid working life. Let's say at age 50. He spends the next 15 years in Australia, but decides to return to the UK just before his 65th birthday. He will get a full basic pension with full indexation.

b. Mr B spends his whole working life in the UK, and retires with a full pension. However, he emigrates to Australia just after his 65th birthday. He gets no indexation.

Is this because returnees vote but emigrants don't?

James Nelson F.F.A.
Vice President British Australian Pensioner Association

http://www.britishpensions.org.au/

The reply

Dear Mr Nelson

Thank you for your email of 26 January to Jeff Rooker, B Owen and myself about the non-payment of increases in UK State pensions for pensioners living abroad. I have been asked to reply.

I am sorry but the Government's position remains the same. Ministers are aware of the strength of feeling on this issue and the supporting arguments. However, they believe the Government's priority should be to concentrate any additional resources that may become available on those pensioners resident in the UK, particularly those who have most difficulty in making provision for themselves and who would otherwise have the lowest incomes in retirement.

Yours sincerely

Mrs J Spiller

James's reply (to Mrs Spiller's response to his original letter)

Mrs Spiller

The e-mail you sent me is absolute boiler plate. You evidently have not even considered the questions I asked. It is also a downright lie. How can you say you are concentrating on the poorest pensioners when you give a free TV licence to 75-year old millionaires?

Your minister is just telling lies again.

...

[05 February 2001]

I have had a further look at your boiler plate reply. It is a little different from what you have said before, and confirms that the discrimination is based *solely* on place of residence. Thank you. This will help the pending legal case.

James Nelson