Bob Carr to push for UK pension indexation

[Banker]

FOLLOWING in the footsteps of his predecessors, Foreign Minister Bob Carr will lobby the British government for the indexation of pensions for UK residents living in Australia.

The pensions are fully indexed to UK expatriates who live in the European Union, the USA, the Philippines, Israel and other countries, but not for those in Australia, New Zealand, Canada and South Africa.

With some 250,000 UK pensioners living in Australia, Canberra is sometimes left to pick-up the tab to ensure their care as the result of a system the federal government has previously described as discriminatory.

"I will be raising it with my UK counterpart, William Hague, and be pressing the case very strongly," Senator Carr said of the pension indexation issue.

"Australia has got a very strong case here. Previous foreign ministers have raised it without success but that won't discourage me from taking it up.

"I'm strongly opposed to what they're doing and I'll be putting our case, which is a strong case."
The foreign minister is due to meet with Mr Hague today.

goo.gl/nSKz2

[Banker]

It would be good if he could take an interest in the hardship of Australian Pensioners.

[Banjo]

We have a contact in the British pensioners expat organisation and their problem is genuine and should be addressed.
Why should any pensioner be denied the payment increases because they choose to live outside of their country?

[Banker]

I have high lighted the important part. ;D

Australian foreign minister urges end to frozen pensions

Under current rules, the state pension is increased in line with inflation only in certain countries, including throughout the European Economic Area, the US and Israel.

Around half a million expats who have emigrated elsewhere, however, have had no increase to their pension since they started drawing it overseas; meaning that in some cases, they are surviving on just a few pounds a week.

Around half of these pensioners are in Australia, where the government has been handing out a supplementary Australian pension to many of them for decades.

"I will be raising [the issue] with my UK counterpart, William Hague, and be pressing the case very strongly," Mr Carr promised before the meeting, according to the Australian Associated Press.

"Australia has got a very strong case here. Previous foreign ministers have raised it without success but that won't discourage me from taking it up.”

www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/offshorefinance/9216850/Australian-foreign-minister-urges-end-to-frozen-pensions.html