Dear Editor,
Re: New project to end frozen UK state pensions in Thailand
Having actually been included for several years in attempting to alter the legislation which perpetuates this long standing oppression, I check out with interest Barry Kenyon’s short article dated the 25 th July 2023. I want to make the following remarks.
The very first paragraph of the short article prices quote Sir Roger Wind MP as stating the stumbling block to an option is the worry of the UK Treasury that it might be confronted with a flood of catching-up claims. Sir Roger has actually been Chair of the All Celebration Parliamentary Group of Frozen British Pensions for several years and will know that the pensioners organisations have actually constantly stated that when pension parity has actually been attained, and all pensioners get the complete privilege of their State Pension, regardless of where they have actually selected to live, then the project will end and they have no objective of pursuing the Federal government for back pensions not paid.
What does Sir Roger recommend is performed in order to ease the worries of the treasury that the pensioners will do otherwise than what they state.
In the 2nd paragraph referral is made to ‘mutually-assured’ contracts, a term I do not acknowledge.
In the previous Federal government Ministers have actually described ‘mutual’ contracts however the function of these contracts is to safeguard the social security rights of employees moving in between 2 nations and have absolutely nothing to do with pensions, with which the Department for Work and Pensions concur.
The factor offered now by the Federal government for continuation of freezing the state pension in specific nations is that this policy has actually been supported by succeeding federal governments over the previous 70 years and there are no strategies to alter it.
There will be a basic election in the UK next year and it is uncertain if the primary political celebrations will alter their policy on pensions. The brand-new celebration ‘Reform UK’ are still dealing with their propositions for pensions which they will launch in due course. Their strategies are waited for with interest.
Peter Wyborn
27 th July 2023
