WWII hero saddened by Keir Starmer’s refusal to meet on pensions | Personal Finance | Finance
A 99-year-old Second World War veteran traveled an incredible 4,400 kilometers to raise awareness of ‘frozen’ state pensions by the Prime Minister, but was left ‘bitterly disappointed’ after failing to get a meeting with Sir Keir Starmer. Anne Puckridge is one of almost half a million British state pensioners whose pensions have remained stable at the level they were at the time of their emigration instead of increasing each year as is the case for those who reside in Great Britain.
During the war, she served in an air defense unit and worked decoding messages as an officer in the Women’s Royal Indian Naval Service. Currently, her weekly basic state pension stands at just £72.50, a far cry from the £169.50 she would have been entitled to if she had not moved abroad. In 2001, Ms Puckridge moved to Canada to be closer to family members, having spent her working life in the UK until the age of 76, where she paid all taxes and contributions. National insurance required.
Although an appointment on Tuesday (December 3) was honored by Pensions Minister Emma Reynolds, Ms Puckridge was left disheartened by her failure to meet Sir Keir when submitting a letter to Downing Street on Thursday. She expressed her feelings: “While I appreciated the time given by the Minister, I was bitterly disappointed to hear no sign of intention to move beyond the same old platitudes that this policy remains too difficult and too costly to implement. »
Ms Puckridge traveled almost 5,000 miles to the UK, only to be discouraged by the Prime Minister’s refusal to meet her. In her final letter, she wrote to him: “I would like to point out that I have traveled almost 5,000 miles, not for myself, but for everyone involved. I was simply asking for the opportunity to explain to you personally how this policy affects us. She received a written response from the Prime Minister last week, but she is still hoping for an in-person meeting.
Now a online petition Calling on Sir Keir to meet her has garnered more than 136,000 signatures, including actress and campaigner Dame Joanna Lumley, who spoke out against the policy, saying: “Times can be tough and difficult. But I urge the powers that be to keep in mind that many of those affected by this cruel policy served Britain in even more difficult times. I think swaths of the country will find it simply unthinkable that brave men and women like Anne would be treated in this way.
Lumley points out: “Some of the retirees involved, like her, served our country in its most perilous days. They did the right thing for the country, so the country should now do the right thing for them.”
MP Gregory Stafford raised the issue in the PM on Wednesday, asking the Prime Minister to reconsider his decision not to meet Ms Puckridge, who was present in the public gallery. Sir Keir evaded direct inquiry, saying instead: “I am grateful to the honorable gentleman for raising this issue. I think he will know and understand well that our position is a continuation of that of the last government .”
During her stay in London, Ms Puckridge highlighted her role as representative of the 453,000 expatriates facing stagnant state pensions by commenting: “My request to the Prime Minister, that he meet with me, is not for my personal benefit, but it is a request made on behalf of more than 450,000 frozen retirees around the world who are suffering as much, and in many cases much more, than me. She openly expressed her disappointment, saying: “Once so proud to be British, I am now ashamed of my country.”
A government spokesperson responded by emphasizing the nation’s appreciation for its veterans and their families: “We are deeply proud of our veterans and their families for the contribution they make to our country. is rightly respected throughout the world. »
They added an explanation regarding retiring abroad and its financial consequences: “We understand that people move abroad for many reasons, and we provide clear information on how this can impact their Retirement finances – with the policy of increasing the UK State Pension for recipients. living abroad for a long time.
The so-called ‘frozen pensions scandal’ continues to affect 40% of all UK pensioners living abroad, preventing them from receiving annual increases to their UK state pension based on their location in countries ‘ at frozen rate” like Canada and Australia. State pensions are set to rise by 4.1 per cent in April next year as part of the annual review. Recipients of the new full state pension will see their weekly payments rise from £221.20 to £230.25, an increase of £9.05. This translates to a weekly payment of £921 and an annual increase of £473.60, bringing the total from £11,502 to £11,973 for the 2025/26 financial year. Similarly, people on the full basic state pension will see their weekly payments rise from £169.50 to £176.45, an increase of £6.95.
This equates to a four-weekly payment of £705.80 and an annual increase of £361.40, bringing the total from £8,814 to £9,175.40 for the 2025/26 financial year. More information on the “End Frozen Pensions” campaign is available here.
