A veteran has said he was left with no choice but to work into his 80’s because his state pension loses value in real terms each year.
Peter Sanguinetti, 83, is among an estimated 500,000 pensioners who don’t see their UK state pension rise each year because the state pension is frozen for people living in certain countries overseas.
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He had expected his state pension would be uprated each year to keep up with rising costs, but because he lives in Canada, the UK Government does not increase his state pension each year.
As inflation bites, it means the veteran’s state pension is losing value in real terms.
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Mr Sanguinetti estimates he has missed out on £23,000 over the years.
He currently gets just £89.54 a week, but he would be receiving £147 a week if he lived in the UK.
To get by, the pensioner has had to work part-time as a school bus driver in his 80’s.
Mr Sanguinetti said: “If you had told me when serving my country that they would leave me stuck on a pension that would mean that I would have to work into my 80’s I would not have believed you.
“But this is the reality for many of us, service, contributions, or age mean nothing to those in Government.
“This is no way to treat British citizens and their continuing dismissal of the Canadian Government is no way to behave on the world stage.
“It is time for the UK Government to hold true to the commitment and values we expect and end frozen pensions and allow all pensioners dignity in retirement.”
The state pension only increases each year if people live in the European Economic Area (EEA), Gibraltar, Switzerland, and countries that have a social security agreement with the UK (but people cannot get increases in Canada or New Zealand).
If affected pensioners return to live in the UK, the state pension would go up to the current rate for that period.
It means half a million pensioners who live overseas in the “frozen” areas will miss out on the 8.5 per cent state pension triple lock increase from April 2024.
Peter Sanguinetti was left with no choice but to work driving a school bus to afford to live due to his frozen state pension
END FROZEN PENSIONS
A Government spokesperson said: “Our priority is ensuring every pensioner receives the financial support to which they are entitled.
“We understand that people move abroad for many reasons and we provide clear information about how this can impact on their finances.
“The Government’s policy on the uprating of the UK State Pension for recipients living overseas is a longstanding one of more than 70 years and we continue to uprate state pensions overseas where there is a legal requirement to do so.”
