BRITISH STATE PENSION (inc frozen) SHAME.
A DISCRIMINATION OF DISGRACE
PPiI (Pension Parity in Indonesia, the AsiaPacific and the world).was born in 2011-12,
With the intent of being the group you can trust. Its agenda was designed to remind us all,
what that agenda was all about, and to work accuratly to that agenda.
parity-warrior,com has done well in the past. the last editor RIAN B did a fantastic job and we say thanks for all his efforts.
Any help from you on one.com web sites, "how to" etc will always be very welcome- - (PLEASE!)
NEWS Liz Kendall Ministerial role. Parliamentary Under Secretary State (Minister for Pensions)
MP for Wycombe, Emma Reynolds, has been appointed as Pensions Minister
AS A MEMBER WHERE DO YOU THINK WE SHOULD BE HEADING NOW?
With a change of government it will be necessary to change how and what to write .
(remember you have the absolute power!
Dont be soft! YOU ARE the boss! added 12 July '24
Obviously the Frozen Pension WHIM will still be near the top of the list.
SO WHAT ARE OUR PRIORITIES?
PUTTING THE GOV'T IN THEIR PLACE? - -
(BELOW US that is!)
*******************
Who is Keir Starmer?
According to a press comment he was A former, well-respected human rights lawyer who then served as Britain’s most senior prosecutor, Starmer came into politics late in life. He became a Labour MP in 2015 and less than five years later was the party’s leader. ( Does sound as though he might just be a bit more accomidating towards the campaigning issues, in spite of being a politicia.- - of course with careful handling?).
********************
FROM THE 1946 (NIS ACT) TO NOW.ON THE FP ISSUE. (78 YEARS!),
NOT ONE CAMPAIGNING GROUP HAS PRESSURED THE GOV'T
TO MAKE ANY CHANGES TO THAT WHIM WHAT SO EVER!
owever WASPI + have (almost) got there first.(perhaps they could help lead us!) added july '24.
The ombudsman is part and parcel of the gov't and yet "the gov't" is dictatorially failing to take actions recommended by the ombudsman!
********************
I HAVE EXTRATED THE DEFINITION OF DEMOCRACY FROM
:- https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/democracy.
1a) GOVERMENT BY THE PEOPLE -ESPECIALLY : RULE OF THE MAJORITY!.
1b) a government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised by them directly or indirectly through a system of representation usually involving periodically held free elections.
The vital words are:- the supreme power is vested in the people.
(Look through many definitions and those words are common.
Strangly though it seems the "people" dont seem to understand that).
Or, more likely, the OUT GOING gov't AND A CERTAIN CHANCE THE PREVIOUS 4 OR 5 GOV'TS HAVE CONVINCED THE PEOPLE THAT THEY, (THE PARTY) ARE REALY THE ONES WITH THE SUPEREME POWER!
((A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO IN THE SHOPPING MALL WE DECIDED TO HAVE LUNCH. LOOKING THROUGH THE WINDOW OF A CAFE I SAW SOMEWHERE AROUND 20 PEOPLE HAVING LUNCH. ALL BUT ONE EATING WITH ONE HAND AND THEIR "MOBILS" IN THE OTHER! GUISING THEY WERE NOT WATCHING "POITICS TODAY!". CONVERSATION WITH PARTMERS AGAIN GUISING, "PASS THE TOMATO SAUCE P;EASE!")
IN THE DEFINITION IT REFERS TO:-
"Involving periodically held free elections!"
DO YOU THINK OUR ELECTIONS ARE REALY FREE? who organises choice etc. the party of course!
who fidled the Parliamentry and Governmentnprotocols!
as the press told us:-
THE NEW PM WAS A FORMER, WELL RESPECTED HUMAN RIGHTS LAWYER,
WHO SERVED AS BRITAINS MOST SENIOR PROSECUTOR.
What that means is all campaigners have to be very careful what they say,
and particlaly on their agenda and legislation!!
THERE ARE 500,000 FROZENPENSIONERS LIVING OVERSEAS.
BOB C SET UP A PETITIONN FOR PARITY WORLD-WIDE.
HOW MANY SIGNATURES ON IT? EQUAL TO:
1% OF THE 500,000! YES, JUST ONE%!
THERE ARE ANOTHER 600,000 EXPATS OVERSEAS ---THAT ARE NOT FROZEN!
WHAT WAS THAT ABOUT?
:"EQUALITY, FAIRNESS AND JUSTICE"?
*******
no answers so far!
Rwanda migrant propsals has or will be cancelled i understand from press article and the Rwanda gov't will not retun monies already paid or promised
In the next paragraph we can give a short basic idea!
So howcan we improve on that number?
It was suggested "State pension" related groups should be linked
. Not impossible!
The most impoutant requirment is :-
Strong, forceful, support,
from all the groupscampaigning to :-
SAVE, PROTECT, IMPROVE,
THE UK STATE PENSION.
"THE LIBRARY INDEX IS OF GROUPS IS MADE UP OF THOSE GROUPS, WHOSE PRIMARY AGENDA IS TO SAVE, PROTECT AND IMPROVE THE UK STATE PENSION WORLD-WIDE" (it does needs it!)
ONE, ( PROBABLY RATHER FRUSTRATED CAMPAIGNER), ON FACEBOOK, SAID
"I WANT A MILLION SIGNATURES ON MY PETITION! (for parity)"
WHY BE SATISFIED WITH JUST ONE MILLION?
WHY NOT 3, 4, OR MORE MILLION?
YES IT CAN BE DONE! (With not too much extra work!). (So here goes!).
******
"THE LIBRARY OF CAMPAIGNING GROUPS"
1) it is NOT a group as in PPiI or WASPI. it is basically an updateable "list"probaly an excel book.
(two or 3 volunteers to maintain it perhaps. It is not for other issues or chat'.
The librairians just concentrate on collating it and keeping it updated.
2) Each campaigning groups just has to agree to being on the library list, provide the necessery info to go on the list, and are genuinly campaigning for :-
TO SAVE, PROTECT AND IMPROVE THE UK STATE PENSION.
Info required:- probably just official name, known as name, based on location, a contact number, (caution re security), number of members, number of frozen pensioners. (A little bit of jigling for those in more than one group).
3) the agenda for the "SPIUKP" (??) Is:-
to campaign against the gov't Frozen State Pension WHIM and do NOT accept uprating going forward.
The agenda carries 3 recomendations:-
A)The campaignihe groups are primarily campaigning against the Gov'to save, protect and improve our pension, (yes we paid for it!) WE ARE NOT CAMPAIGNING AGAINST EACH OTHER, THEY ARE OUE ALLIES!
B) INFORMATION used in campaigning material must please be based on proven facts, "official" statistics, and legislation.
C) if quoting from Gov't statements, other authorotive bodies, press reports,MP's or Peers official or just random comments. do please provide a hyperlink if possible.
An adition that should be adhered to is as in the equality Act GENDER DISCRIMINAION!
There are many issues within the State Pension besides the FP WHIM.
"THE LIBRARY OF CAMPAIGNING GROUPS" can cover all.(15 to 20 probably!)
PLEASE NOTE:-1) this ws drafted before any info from the new government warmed their bums in their seats. I did not see anything in todays press about it. Only thing was NIS would not increase. (could that be a hint we just might get some good news ??? (16 July press report quoted masive changes coming !PREPARE TO DEMAND FOR CONSULTATION RIGHTS FOR ALL CAMPAIGNERS
3)There are many issues within the State Pension besides the FP WHIM.
15 to 20 or so? Age, back to 65, max as current. Not welfare as WE PAID FOR IT. IT IS NOT A TAX BUT OUR CONTRIUTIONS. IT CANNOT BE A BENRFIT. IT IS AN ENTITLEMENT "A RIGHT!" WE COMPLIED WITH THE CONDITIONS THAT ARE REQUIRED TO BE ENTITLED TO THAT PENSION. PENSION ACT 2014
WHERE YOU LIVE IS NOT ONE!
*******************
THIS AND THE PREVIOUS PARAGRAPHS ARE NOT JUST AIMED AT PPiI MEMBERS,
IT IS FROZEN PENSIONERS, UNFROZEN PENSIONERS AND ALL WORKERS IN THE
"UK THAT WILL BECOME
PENSIONERS HOME OR OVERSES. (30+MILLION OF THEM!)"
*******************
(Accrding to the definition of "democratic" shows that a political unit may have a democratic government within that poitical party. but including whips bullying and other naughties! (but the people AREstill the boss! show them so!!!
*******************
So 12 YEARS AGO initially we asked the ICBP,( self appointed tingods of campaigning against discrimination!
“Can we join your ICBP group please?”
The somewhat blunt answer from ICBP, word for word was:
“No you can’t. There is only a few of you (absolute discrimination?yes?)you andhave not contributed! (UK bigh court stated that cost was
no excuse for discrimiynation. yes?)
"Join CABP or BPiA pay your fees, get a
committee and that group will “look after” you".
(with some sarcasm it look like a good lesson on how to discrininate!)
too few? no money? no join ICBP!
The PPiI members, (all are the "committee") and we do not pay fees).
The members response was:
“It’s OK we will go it on our own!”
(But always willng to listen to, talk to, and work with other groups.)
There are many other indipendant groups around the world also campaigning against the frozen pension WHIM, and other "pension issues"
the ICBP. (international consortim of British Pensioners),
(Is the group with the highest number of frozen membership) made up by Australia and Canada, also in their own way, campaigning against the UK Gov’t's frozen pension whim ??).
For the first few years we did well, but after years of occasionally being ignored we realised, like all campaigners, it was better talking to the brick wall rather than banging your head on it!
*********
The above paragraph is of the events 12 years ago when PPiI arrived. Much water has passed under the bridge since then. The ICBP has made a number of changes over the years for their groups.
(But not all "the smoke" from their early days of dictatorial campaigning has dispersed).
Sadly the world of the "UK State Pension" is not as secure,or honest, as it should be. ( much of the blame for that is from those dictatorial "boss types."
The number of pension related groups has increased considerably, and that in some respect has decreased the chances of Parity for all frozen pensioners and even unfrozen expats.
The groups that have been groups from the earliest days of campaugning are more likely to be a little close lipped, and less coperative than the newer groups.
Times are and will hopefully changing for the better.
. Due to their involvement with the old dictaorial attitude of the big 3, (and a little bit of jealousy over the othr groups?).
(When we talk Pension and pensioners we can think of numbers up to 40+millions.
A lot of people to include in campaging, and so much to do in the pension issues!)
(The ever growing numbers of pension related groups, and now websites, is not going to do much for the issues we campagn for, without groups seriously working together).
TOO MANY GROUPS AND TOO MANY WEB SITES!
MANY WILL AGREE, AND MANY DISAGREE.
SO WHICH IS RIGHT?
(whats that saying about too many cooks?)
**********
WE, all campaigning groups HAVE ONE ENEMY. -- -- THE GOV'T, (Gov't, THE DWP, THE TREASURY, THE DSS AND, THE FACELESS UNKNOWNS?
(Personally I am very cocerned about who are the faceless ones)
(Will it be the party and "others" manipuilting the pre-election B/S we wll be showered with?)
WE ALL HAVE ONE AGENDA -- -- CAMPAIGNING AGAINST THE UK GOV'Ts FROZEN PENSION (WHIM). "and NOT supporting uprating going forward". (This week, proved we were righ in NOT supporting uprating going forward".
**********
In more recent times thoughts regarding the State Pension have spread beyond the frozen pension, to include all the issues of the pension itself. (just look how well WASPI+ are doing!)
THE STATE PENSION HAS MANY ISSUES BEYOND THE FP!!
(COULD BE BETWEEN 15 AND 20 issues!
Such as State Pension Age, consultation, maladministration, welfare status + + + .
***********
FROM THE 1946 (NIS ACT) TO NOW.
ON THE FP ISSUE. (78 YEARS!),
NOT ONE CAMPAIGNING GROUP HAS PRESSURED THE GOV'T
TO MAKE ANY CHANGES TO THAT (WHIM) WHAT SO EVER!
WHILST THE CARSON CASE, (DISCRIMINATION), WAS IN PROGRESS, IN THE E.U. SUPREMCOURT, ONE JUDGE STATED THAT IT WAS NOT AN FP POLICY!
IT WAS AN FP "WHIM"
(I FULLY AGREE WITH HIM!
IN MY COMENTS OR EMAILS AND POSTS I DO USE THE TERM,
"THE FROZEN PENSION WHIM")
***********
ONE, ( PROBABLY RATHER FRUSTRATED CAMPAIGNER), ON FACEBOOK, SAID
I WANT A MILLION SIGNATURES ON MY PETITION! (for parity)
WHY BE SATISFIED WITH JUST ONE MILLION?
WHY NOT 3, 4, OR MORE MILLION?
YES IT CAN BE DONE! (With not to much extr work!)
Over PPiI time of 12 years campaigning, one of the group issues that has always puzzled me, from day one is, why so much negativity?
After some, "historical"digging, (that involved UK FP's in a number of groups). I could only conclude and suggest a "dictaorial approach" from those requiring "service" from campaigners, and rivallry between the service providors is to blame.
I did actually ask on Facebook:-
"Many times I see in commments on Facebook,
"We should work together." united in harmony".
However, how often do they not do so!
(it has happened to me a number times!).
Perhaps not surprising then we are still F - F - F- FROZEN?
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Do also remenber, please,
Groups are volunteers, NOT conscripts! (- ST!)
(Why should I say that you may wonder. A few years after PPiI started I had an email from a "Director" explaining to, this mere campaigner, that;- "we, the directors, consider the fee paying members are the face workers and we the directors are the boses". My response, which, reluctantly, I did not send in the end, might just make you blush!
**********
Please do not get the wrong idea of my intenions in what I say, comment on or suggest! (My ambition is to retire from the dodgy battlefields of the UK State Pension battle ground with a fully ENTITLED FULL PENSION as soon as possible preferably before Christmas this year! (First full pension, "sod Pizza Hut lets get a really decent meal!"
I will still keep digging on the FP Whim and the legislation.
**************
WE HAVE MANY GROUPS -- -- (A TOWER OF BABLE ?).
we all have the same one enemy. The gov't.
we all have the same one agenda. A gov't policy- and/or a WHIM!!
So why not have one master campaigning army made of multple groups working together to produce a winning master group?
(the headlines could then be:-
The campaigning master group defeat the enemy's discrimination! Satisfaction by the groups in that master group! " GROUPS UNITED WARRIORS"
**********
NOTE in a previous draft 23 march we detailed a meeting between Sir R. Gale and the Pariamentary Under- secretary for Works and Pensions, Paul Maynard MP.
We said :-was this going to be :-
"The long awaited light at the end of the tunnel?"
State Pension issues were discussed. No promises and Sir R did warn
"but dont hold your breath".
**********
Well we all know what did happen!
So what do all we campaigners and groups do now?
What ever we plan needs to be stronger than we have ever previosly managed. Bearing in mind the coming election we should be ready for almost anything.
FROM:-Parity, plus all benefits with tripple lock forever.
TO:- All expats frozen, or even no pensions paid overseas!
(Should we follow the French reaction when their PM introduced their pansion increase from 62 to 64!!)
Will we squeak like a mouse or roar like a (French) lion?
************
Restoring democracy for all is just as essental in the UK as it was for Parity. Even more so. An even harder task I would think! Is that asking too much to save us from dictatorship?
************
The main agenda issue here so far is parity for all pensioners world wide, but other issues have been drawn into the issues of campaigning against gov't polocies. (Partial uprating going forward is not parity and partial uprating actually introduces further discrimination because being based on the current pension status of each of the 500,000 FPs there coud be 500,000 different rates to calculate on. (2.5% of a 40£ rate is less than 2.5% of £100 FP rate, a further discrimination. Not acceptable surely ?
Prior to the uprating going foeward there was a suggestion of uprating based on age.
(1st year all over 90 's got uprated to full entitled rate. next year over 80's uprated, 3rd year over 70's or over pension age. it is still discrimination but on guaranteed dates. A bit better than the disgeacful offer that the ICBP will acccept.
The NIS fund is always well over balence requirements.
£ billions every year!
and dont forget its OUR contributions that do that,
WE PAID IN OUR CONTRIIIBUTIONS FROM OUR SALERIES AS DO HE WORKERS OF TODAY AND THE EMPLOYER ALSO PAID AND PAY IN. THE GOVT STOPPED CONTRIBUTING AS SOON AS THE FUND REACHED ITS REQUIRED MINIMUM BALENCE!
(NO THE TAX PAERS DID NOT HAVE TO CONTRIBUTE A PENNY)
ROUGHLY THEN, WHEN WE STRTED WORK WE STARTED PAYING FROM OUR SALERY NIS CONTRIBUTIONS INTO THE SECURED NIS FUND. RETIREES WILL GET THEIR PENSION FRONTHE FUND WE CONTRIBUTED TO. WHEN AFTER AROUND 50 YEARS WE RETIRE AND GET OUR PENSION FROM THE FUND THAT THE WORKERS TODAY ARE CONTRIBUTING INTO. (ALSO EMPLOYEES PAYING INTO THE FUND)
*****************
(AT THAT MEETING, BETWEEN SIR R. AND THE PENSION MINISTER, THE STATE PENSION ISSUES, , WERE DISCUSSED. NO PROMISES WERE MADE! (WELL DO YOU EVER EXPECT MP's PROMISES TO BE FOLLOWED THROUGH?)
THE NEXT STEP WAS FROM MR HUNT, ("LETS IGNORE THE "V. V"S - AGAIN! SO WHAT DID THE FP'S GET?
ONE REPORT SUBTLE ANSWER WAS "A TWO FINGERED GESTURE!"
WHAT WAS MY RESPONSE? HALF OF THE VULNERABLE VICTIMS SYMBOL (v v)!
V
*********
Et Tu Brute !
*******************
Somewhat shocked, having rejected a thought of could this be a pre-election gov't joke, my thoughts qquickly moved on!
**********
(MY APOLOGIES FOR FLOGGING THE FROZEN PENSION SO MUCH AS AN EXAMPLE BUT I WANTED YOU APPRECIATE THE PROBLEMS ALL PENSION ISSUES CAN CREATE AND BE PREPARED TO INCREASE THE PRESSURE ON THE GOV'T ON ALL PENSION ISSUES.)
This must be a call to arms for all 12.4 million pensiones, including frozen and un-frozen expats, 30+ million workers and future workers of the future!
ANOTHER ISSUE WE NEED TO WORK OVERTIME ON.
THIS MUST BE THE TIME FOR:-
ONE ENEMY, ONE AGENDA AND ONE COMBINED FIGHTING ARMY!
TO SAVE, PROTECT AND IMPROVING
OUR PENSIONSTHAT WE CONTRIBTED FOR.
this following paragraph has, in parts, been deleted.
****************
Now I know this is a crazy thought but campaigning against the gov't frozen pension WHIM has not had much success. (well none really!). should we be looking for a sincere political figurehead to have waving our flag? Free from party control and bullying whips might draw more success for our campaining? Each group has its own Fb or other outlet so all could introduce the indipenant MP. figurehead, with a small panel attached to the groups heading page? (agreed small photo MP indipendant (state pension rep). that in itself will be difficult to agree on. So a "no go idea" probably.
Who is Keir Starmer?
According to a press comment he was A former, well-respected human rights lawyer who then served as Britain’s most senior prosecutor, Starmer came into politics late in life. He became a Labour MP in 2015 and less than five years later was the party’s leader. ( Does sound as though he might just be a bit more accomidating towards our campaigning issues. - - of course with careful handling?).
********************
FROM THE 1946 (NIS ACT) TO NOW. ON THE FP ISSUE. (78 YEARS!),
NOT ONE CAMPAIGNING GROUP HAS PRESSURED THE GOV'T
TO MAKE ANY CHANGES TO THAT (WHIM) WHAT SO EVER!
however WASPI + have (almost) got there first.
The ombudsman is part and parcel of the gov't and yet "the gov't" is dictatorially failing to take actions recommended by the ombudsman.
********************
the ICBP. (international consortim of British Pensioners),
(Is the group with the highest number of frozen membership) made up by Australia and Canada, also in their own way, campaigning against the UK Gov’t's frozen pension whim).
There are many other indipendant groups around the world also campaigning against the frozen pension WHIM, and other "pension issues".
So initially we asked the ICBP,
“Can we join your ICBP group please?”
The somewhat blunt answer, word for word was:
“No you can’t. There is only a few of you (absolute discrimination? yes).
And you have not contributed! (UK bigh court had stated that cost was no excuse for discrimiynation. yes)
"Join CABP or BPiA pay your fees, get a
committee and that group will “look after” you".
(with some sarcasm it look like a good lesson on how to discrininate!) too few? no money, no join ICBP!
The PPiI members, (all are the "committee") and we do not pay fees).
The members response was:
“It’s OK we will go it on our own!”
(But always willng to listen to and talk other groups.)
For the first few years we did well, but after years of being mostly ignored we realised, like all campaigners, it was better talking to the brick wall rather than banging your head on it!
*********
The above paragraph is of the events 12 years ago when PPiI arrived. Much water has passed under the bridge since then. The ICBP has made a number of changes over the years for their groups. But not all "the smoke" from their early days of campaigning has dispersed.
Sadly the world of the "UK State Pension" is not as secure as it should be.
The number of pension related groups has increased considerably, and that in some respect has decreased the chances of Parity for all frozen pensioners and even unfrozen expats. The groups that have been groups from the early days of campaugning are more likely to be
less cooperative than the newer groups. Due to their involvement with the old dictaorial attitude of the big 3, and the gov't (and a little bit of jealousy over othr groups).
(When we talk Pension and pensioners we think of numbers up to 40+millions.
A lot of people to include in campaging, and much to do in the pension issues!)
(The ever growing numbers of pension related groups, and now websites, is not going to do much for the issues we campagn for, without groups seriously working together).
TOO MANY GROUPS AND TOO MANY WEB SITES!
MANY WILL AGREE, AND MANY DISAGREE.
SO WHICH IS RIGHT?
(whats that saying about too many cooks?)
**********
WE, all campaigning groups HAVE ONE ENEMY. -- -- THE GOV'T, (Gov't, the DWP, THE TREASURY, THE DSS AND, THE FACELESS UNKNOWNS? (Personally I am very cocerned about who are the faceless ones)
(Will it be the party and "others" manipuilting the pre-election B/S we wll be showered with?).
well we now wait and see what the new lo t can do!
WE HAVE ONE AGENDA -- -- CAMPAIGNING AGAINST THE UK GOV'Ts FROZEN PENSION (WHIM). "and NOT supporting uprating going forward". (This week, proved we were righ in NOT supporting uprating going forward".
**********
In more recent times thoughts regarding the State Pension have spread beyond the frozen pension, to include all the issues of the pension itself. (just look how well WASPI+ are doing!)
THE STATE PENSION HAS MANY ISSUES BEYOND THE FP!!
(COULD BE BETWEEN 15 AND 20 issues!
Such as State Pension Age, consultation, maladministration, welfare status + + + .
***********
FROM THE 1946 (NIS ACT) TO NOW.
ON THE FP ISSUE. (78 YEARS!),
NOT ONE CAMPAIGNING GROUP HAS PRESSURED THE GOV'T
TO MAKE ANY CHANGES TO THAT (WHIM) WHAT SO EVER!
WHILST THE CARSON CASE, (DISCRIMINATION), WAS IN PROGRESS, IN THE E.U. SUPREMCOURT, ONE JUDGE STATED THAT IT WAS NOT AN FP POLICY!
IT WAS AN FP "WHIM"
(I FULLY AGREE WITH HIM!
IN MY COMENTS OR EMAILS AND POSTS I DO USE THE TERM,
"THE FROZEN PENSION WHIM")
***********
ONE, ( PROBABLY RATHER FRUSTRATED CAMPAIGNER), ON FACEBOOK, SAID
I WANT A MILLION SIGNATURES ON MY PETITION! (for parity)
WHY BE SATISFIED WITH JUST ONE MILLION?
WHY NOT 3, 4, OR MORE MILLION?
YES IT CAN BE DONE! (With not to much extr work!)
Over PPiI time of 12 years campaigning, one of the group issues that has always puzzled me, from day one is, why so much negativity?
After some, "historical"digging, (that involved UK FP's in a number of groups). I could only conclude and suggest a "dictaorial approach" from those requiring "service" from campaigners, and rivallry between the service providors is to blame.
I did actually ask on Facebook:-
"Many times I see in commments on Facebook,
"We should work together." united in harmony".
However, how often do they not do so!
(it has happened to me a number times!).
Perhaps not surprising then we are still F - F - F- FROZEN?
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Do also remenber, please,
Groups are volunteers, NOT conscripts! (- ST!)
(Why should I say that you may wonder. A few years after PPiI started I had an email from a "Director" explaining to, this mere campaigner, that;- "we, the directors, consider the fee paying members are the face workers and we the directors are the boses". My response, which, reluctantly, I did not send in the end, might just make you blush!
**********
Please do not get the wrong idea of my intenions in what I say, comment on or suggest! (My ambition is to retire from the dodgy battlefields of the UK State Pension battle ground with a fully ENTITLED FULL PENSION as soon as possible preferably before Christmas this year! (First full pension, "sod Pizza Hut lets get a really decent meal!"
I will still keep digging on the FP Whim and the legislation.
**************
WE HAVE MANY GROUPS -- -- (A TOWER OF BABLE ?).
we all have the same one enemy. The gov't.
we all have the same one agenda. A gov't policy- and/or a WHIM!!
So why not have one master campaigning army made of multple groups working together to produce a winning master group?
(the headlines could then be:-
The campaigning master group defeat the enemy's discrimination! Satisfaction by the groups in that master group! " GROUPS UNITED WARRIORS"
**********
NOTE in a previous draft 23 march we detailed a meeting between Sir R. Gale and the Pariamentary Under- secretary for Works and Pensions, Paul Maynard MP.
We said :-was this going to be :-
"The long awaited light at the end of the tunnel?"
State Pension issues were discussed. No promises and Sir R did warn
"but dont hold your breath".
**********
Well we all know what did happen!
So what do all we campaigners and groups do now?
What ever we plan needs to be stronger than we have ever previosly managed. Bearing in mind the coming election we should be ready for almost anything.
FROM:-Parity, plus all benefits with tripple lock forever.
TO:- All expats frozen, or even no pensions paid overseas!
(Should we follow the French reaction when their PM introduced their pansion increase from 62 to 64!!)
Will we squeak like a mouse or roar like a (French) lion?
************
Restoring democracy for all is just as essental in the UK as it was for Parity. Even more so. An even harder task I would think! Is that asking too much to save us from dictatorship?
************
The main agenda issue here so far is parity for all pensioners world wide, but other issues have been drawn into the issues of campaigning against gov't polocies. (Partial uprating going forward is not parity and partial uprating actually introduces further discrimination because being based on the current pension status of each of the 500,000 FPs there coud be 500,000 different rates to calculate on. (2.5% of a 40£ rate is less than 2.5% of £100 FP rate, a further discrimination. Not acceptable surely ?
Prior to the uprating going foeward there was a suggestion of uprating based on age.
(1st year all over 90 's got uprated to full entitled rate. next year over 80's uprated, 3rd year over 70's or over pension age. it is still discrimination but on guaranteed dates. A bit better than the disgeacful offer that the ICBP will acccept.
The NIS fund is always well over balence requirements.
£ billions every year!
and dont forget its OUR contributions that do that,
WE PAID IN OUR CONTRIIIBUTIONS FROM OUR SALERIES AS DO HE WORKERS OF TODAY AND THE EMPLOYER ALSO PAID AND PAY IN. THE GOVT STOPPED CONTRIBUTING AS SOON AS THE FUND REACHED ITS REQUIRED MINIMUM BALENCE!
(NO THE TAX PAERS DID NOT HAVE TO CONTRIBUTE A PENNY)
ROUGHLY THEN, WHEN WE STRTED WORK WE STARTED PAYING FROM OUR SALERY NIS CONTRIBUTIONS INTO THE SECURED NIS FUND. RETIREES WILL GET THEIR PENSION FRONTHE FUND WE CONTRIBUTED TO. WHEN AFTER AROUND 50 YEARS WE RETIRE AND GET OUR PENSION FROM THE FUND THAT THE WORKERS TODAY ARE CONTRIBUTING INTO. (ALSO EMPLOYEES PAYING INTO THE FUND)
*****************
(AT THAT MEETING, BETWEEN SIR R. AND THE PENSION MINISTER, THE STATE PENSION ISSUES, , WERE DISCUSSED. NO PROMISES WERE MADE! (WELL DO YOU EVER EXPECT MP's PROMISES TO BE FOLLOWED THROUGH?)
THE NEXT STEP WAS FROM MR HUNT, ("LETS IGNORE THE "V. V"S - AGAIN! SO WHAT DID THE FP'S GET?
ONE REPORT SUBTLE ANSWER WAS "A TWO FINGERED GESTURE!"
WHAT WAS MY RESPONSE? HALF OF THE VULNERABLE VICTIMS SYMBOL (v v)!
V
*********
Et Tu Brute !
*******************
Somewhat shocked, having rejected a thought of could this be a pre-election gov't joke, my thoughts moved on.
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(MY APOLOGIES FOR FLOGGING THE FROZEN PENSION SO MUCH AS AN EXAMPLE BUT I WANTED YOU APPRECIATE THE PROBLEMS ALL PENSION ISSUES CAN CREATE AND BE PREPARED TO INCREASE THE PRESSURE ON THE GOV'T ON ALL PENSION ISSUES.)
This must be a call to arms for all 12.4 million pensiones, including frozen and un-frozen expats, 30+ million workers and future workers of the future!
ANOTHER ISSUE WE NEED TO WORK OVERTIME ON.
THIS MUST BE THE TIME FOR:-
ONE ENEMY, ONE AGENDA AND ONE COMBINED FIGHTING ARMY!
TO SAVE, PROTECT AND IMPROVING
OUR PENSIONSTHAT WE CONTRIBTED FOR.
(Last year, or the year before, I think Sir R, might had mentioned giving up poliitics!
(I had a wicked thought! Lets all email him saying dont give up politics Sir R, Just give up the Party and become Sir R. Gale. MP, the indipedent, SAVE PROTECT AND IMPROVETHE STATE PENSION PARTY!!).
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Now I know this is a crazy thought but campaigning against the gov't frozen pension WHIM has not had much success. (well none really!). should we be looking for a political figurehead to have waving our flag? Sir R as a truly complete indipenant MP. free frm party control and bullying whips might draw more success for our campaining? Each group has its own Fb or other outlet so all could introduce the indipenant MP. figurehead, with a small panel attached to the groups heading page? (agreed small photo MP indipendant (state pension rep). that in itself will be difficult to adree on. So a "no go idea" probably.
British Pensions in Australia Inc
ABN 42 186 383 389
P O Box 474 Edgecliff NSW 2027
Telephone +61 2 9521 7964 email: bpia@people.net.au
BPiA’s submission to the UK Parliamentary Pension Working Party
BPiA’s submission will focus on the aspect of the UK pension bill, with which we are most interested, that is Clause 20. This Clause purports to retain the existing discredited system whereby the State pension is not uprated each year for some recipients of a UK pension who are resident in some but not all countries overseas. They discover their UK pension, for which they have paid under exactly the same contribution rules as other retirees in the UK or some specified countries, is “frozen” because of the country to which they have migrated and retired.
We gather the Parliamentary Working Party has decided to not consider this issue in its pre legislation scrutiny, but we protest this is a significant matter, for it affects over half a million recipients of the UK pension and potentially thousands more who are either now approaching pension age or discouraged from leaving the UK to migrate to a country where the UK State pension is frozen. It is because of this that the issue requires a decision.
In that regard we wish to direct the Working Party [WP] to the conclusions of the 1996/7 Parliamentary Select Committee which considered the specific issue of frozen pensions. In their concluding paragraphs this select committee made some telling comments.
As Lord Carswell opined in the Lords hearing of the Carson v the UK Government case 2005 “there is no justification for paying some [expats] less than others.” “The government may have been entitled under domestic law to take this course [of denying uprating to some expats abroad] if it so chose, but I consider the Convention [of Human Rights] operates to prevent such discrimination” He “declared that Regulation3 of the Social Security Benefits Uprating Regulations is unlawful and of no effect as being incompatible with Mrs Carson’s Convention rights.”
This dissenting opinion of Lord Carswell is supported by the words of Home Secretary, Jack Straw speaking on 2 October 2000 at St Pauls Cathedral, when he spoke on the subject of “Human Rights and Personal Responsibility” with regard to the UK’s new Human Rights Act which had recently been introduced in the UK Parliament. “A modern civil society is based on basic values of individual worth and equality of opportunity for all …under the Human Rights Act everyone gets the same basic guarantees from our public services whoever we are and wherever we live.” “Courts do get strong powers to give legislation a meaning that fitswith ECHR rights wherever possible. And there is also the power to declare primary legislation incompatible with Convention rights.”
At this stage we should consider Article 14 of the Human Rights Convention headed “Prohibition of Discrimination” “The enjoyment of rights and freedoms set forth in this Convention shall secure without discrimination on any grounds such as sex, race, colour, religion, property, birth or other status.”
We at BPiA understand the concept of the Rule of Law and we are aware that frozen pensions arise because of the passing each year of “Regulation 3 of the Social Security Benefits uprating Regulations” which regulates to ensure that those expats retired in certain countries are denied their pensions to be uprated annually. However as Lord Carswell shows and which Home Secretary Jack Straw’s speech supports, this Regulation 3 is unlawful and the Court has powers to declare primary legislation incompatible with Convention rights.
So Regulation 3, which denies pensioners who have retired to some countries where there is no bilateral agreement, having their pensions uprated annually. It is the regulation which Lord Carswell considers unlawful, for it is, in his opinion, incompatible with the Human Rights Conventions and which The Home Secretary implies is superior law. These rights are based on basic values of equality of opportunity for all.
Equality
Moreover the UK now has an Equality Act 2010 which is violated by the Government’s Regulation 3 by not treating fairly and equally all pensioners irrespective of where they are retired.
Then this Regulation 3 is part of the “Persons Abroad Regulations” of which 3 Lords Justice, Rix, Clarke of Stone-cum-Ebony and Carnwarth opined, its drafting is lamentable, it lacks clarity and it’s draconian. These opinions are include in the conclusion to the case “The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and Yates on May 13th 2009 in the Supreme Court of Judicature” The State lost this case.
The CHOGM Singapore Declaration 1971 at section 8 states, “We [all the Commonwealth nations] will use all our efforts to foster human equality and dignity everywhere”. Why one asks then, is this call at a CHOGM to foster equality everywhere not applied by the British Government, to the payment of pensions even if only throughout the whole Commonwealth? Surely Britain is the supposed leading light in the Commonwealth? UK pension recipients in some Commonwealth nations have their pensions uprated, why no equality for all. These nations include Mauritius, Cyprus, Malta, Jamaica, Barbados and Britain but not in the others. Not in Trinidad, nor St Kitts, St Vincent, Antigua, Guyana Grenada etc in the Caribbean. This practice is therefore also in violation of this CHOGM declaration. How can the British Government hold its head high in partnership at CHOGM with the other Commonwealth nations when it violates this Commonwealth Declaration which was later confirmed in Harare in 1991? Are some expats therefore “more equal than others?”
Fairness
Now we come to the issue of fairness. Fairness is used by politicians throughout the world it appears, almost without any thought given to what they are actually saying. They all seem to delight in telling us they are fair in all they do. For example:-
Notwithstanding hearing or reading all these platitudes of fairness being uttered and supposedly fairness is at the heart of British politics, how can the 550,000 expats whose pensions are frozen, ever believe what politicians say?
Cost
Time and again we have been told by DWP the pension is not uprated in some countries because of the cost.
Moreover from the UK Parliament’s Select Committee report 1996/7 Given the perennial constraints on public expenditure it is hard to identify a single compromise which would substantially meet the expatriate pensioners’ case at a reasonable cost”. This was at a time when there was not an austerity programme in place.
The answer to this comment is dealt with in the last paragraph of this section. Do not think of pensions alone, identify the adverse consequences of this unfair pension payment policy and consider the thousands of pensioners who are discouraged from leaving the UK, which, if reversed, would be to the overall UK budget’s considerable benefit!
We agree the annual cost of indexing all State pensions is estimated at over £650 million in 2012/3, but we are not looking for any retrospective adjustments, only to have our pensions paid from now on as they would be if we lived in an uprated nation, like the US, Spain, Eire, Israel, Barbados, the Philippines, or Poland.
Putting this annual amount into perspective, it represents about just 0.7% of the pension budget; shrapnel! The NI Account has a balance of £30+ billions. This is more than double the prudential balance of 1/6th of the annual expenditure on State pensions, which the Government Actuary says is required. The Government Actuary’s 2013 report conclusion is;-
Moreover there are adverse consequences which occur as a result of non-uprating the pension. These adverse consequences can be explained by the following: Many thousands of people would be delighted to retire abroad, often to return to their homelands or to join their younger families overseas but they are discouraged from making this move because their UK State pension is a significant part of their annual retirement income. This applies in particular to the lower paid people; - viz-
but perhaps not to “the rich” who it seems are the ones being targeted by some MP’s via this non uprating practice.
Should the pension policy change and all pensions be uprated, irrespective of the country to which the recipient retires, it is forecast, from a recent survey conducted by AGEUK, that gradually thousands more pensioners, who under the current restrictive rules have stayed in the UK, would most likely leave Britain. They would therefore no longer impose on the National Health Service nor take advantage of pensioners’ free prescriptions as well as free TV licences for the over 75’s, free bus passes and winter power subsidies, all of which are paid for, not from the NI account, but from general tax revenue. This considerable expense would no longer be required. These net savings, less tax revenue lost, to the British Treasury and taxpayers, are reckoned to grow towards £5-10 billions over the forthcoming decade or so. Such savings will make a big dent in the National Debt and should be seriously considered as part of the question, whether to change the pension payment policy or not. This is a much bigger issue than just that of the annual cost of uprating all pension payments. The Government would be making a big mistake to ignore this issue, instead just “ring-fencing” the pension budget A study and report on this matter has been conducted by Oxford Economics and presented to Treasury in the past 12 months.
Finally, in regard to cost, the decision in a recent, February 2013, UK Supreme Court case, O’Brien [Appellant] v Ministry of Justice 2013 UKSC 6, it was clearly stated by the judge, “budgetary considerations [costs] cannot justify discrimination”: O’Brien’s appeal against his claimed discrimination was upheld and yet each year, through the Social Security Benefits Uprating Regulation 3, the British Parliament annually legalises discrimination against 550,000 of its pensioners, justifying this action by a saving of some costs.
Morality
During a Committee debate on March 18th 2004 on the frozen pension issue, Steve Webb, the current UK Pensions Minister made several comments, which indicated his support for uprating the pensions of all expats. He was at the time obviously concerned with, among other things, the morality of non-indexing. An edited version of some of his comments during that debate are shown below;-
Many Members of Parliament over the past 20 years have expressed similar views but these appear to have been scotched by Treasury bent on austerity and in denial of the harm the Government’s approach is doing to the reputation of Britain as a forward thinking moral, fair minded society.
To concludeI wish to quote from Dame Joan Bakewell after the ECHR case Carson v the UK Government was announced;-
Yours Sincerely
James Tilley BA [Hons]. FCPA. ACMA.
Honorary Chairman
British Pensions in Australia Incorporated, Phone +61 2 9521 7964