Expat loses pensions appeal
A UK pensioner living in South Africa lost a High Court appeal today to have her pension upgraded in line with inflation.
Expat pensioners living in the European Union and certain other countries such as the USA already receive inflation-linked upgrades.
However, agreements between the UK and mainly ex-colonial countries such as Australia and Canada were made before inflation became a key economic issue. For British expats living in such countries, pensions are frozen at the time of retirement or at their level upon emigration.
It is believed that over 400,000 expat pensioners living in countries where pensions are not upgraded will be affected by the High Court’s ruling in support of the UK government.
Mervyn Kohler of Help the Aged said that it was unfair that people who had contributed into the UK pensions pot during their working lives did not receive parity of treatment with the majority of pensioners simply because they had retired to the wrong country.
Annette Carson was ordered by the Court of Appeal to pay legal costs, and was given no right to appeal to the House of Lords.
