Almost half a million pensioners are to be excluded from the next annual rise in State Pension, despite the Government maintaining the triple-lock system.
Close to 500,000 people will not benefit from the increase in April 2023 - when payments rise by 10.1 per cent. The increase was announced during Chancellor Jeremy Hunt's Autumn Budget, with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak promising retirees would be "at the forefront of my mind".
The rise will see the full basic State Pension go from £141.85 per week to £156.20 - an increase of £14.85 per week. The new payment will be £624.80 per month and £8,122 per year (based on 52 weeks). Meanwhile, the full new State Pension goes up by £18.70 a week from £185.15 to £203.85, equivalent to £815.40 a month and (based on 52 weeks) £10,600 a year.
READ MORE: All the DWP Christmas payment dates for Universal Credit, child benefits and others
However, lots of UK state pensioners around the world will not see their payment rise. And it has caused upset, with many across the globe handing in letters to the Department for Work and Pensions in protest, reports Leicestershire Live.
Who won't get the State Pension increase
Almost 500,000 state pensioners who now live abroad will not receive a rise in payments come April next year, according to reports.
This is because they will live in a country without any uprating agreement with the UK, which means whenever they left the UK, their pension payments were frozen at that level.
Some UK citizens who now live abroad are receiving as little as £25 per week under this rule, with their payments frozen years ago. This includes some World War Two veterans who later moved to Commonwealth countries such as Australia and Canada.
UK pensioners living in the European Economic Area or Switzerland get a yearly uprate in their State Pension. This includes the likes of Spain, France, Italy, Germany and Portugal.
The UK also has uprating agreements with the following nations and territories:
- Barbados
- Bermuda
- Bosnia-Herzegovina
- Gibraltar
- Guernsey
- the Isle of Man
- Israel
- Jamaica
- Jersey
- Kosovo
- Mauritius
- Montenegro
- North Macedonia
- the Philippines
- Serbia
- Turkey
- USA
Despite hundreds of thousands of expats living in the likes of Canada, South Africa, New Zealand, India and Thailand, they are excluded from yearly uprating. Last year, John Duffy of the International Consortium of British Pensioners (ICBP) accused the Government of "callously pushing hundreds of thousands into poverty ".
Adding: "No pensioner should be forced to work in the last years of his or her life, all because our Government has neglected its own citizens and failed to uphold their part of the bargain. They have each paid into the system and are entitled to the full payments they deserve – anything less is unconscionable."
READ NEXT:
Martin Lewis tip sees Argos shoppers rush to buy £40 heater that costs pennies to run
Royal Mail confirms Black Friday strike action as new counter plans in place
How to get Argos air fryer for £15 as shoppers race to secure Black Friday deal
Black Friday air fryer deals to keep tabs on as kitchen essential to sell out
Tesco, Morrisons and Sainsbury's warning as customers scammed with £1000 vouchers
