Issue #1, 2021 Ottawa formally asks UK to uprate pensions by Ian Andexser, CABP Chairman
huge step forward has been taken in the campaign to end pension A freezing: Ottawa has submitted an official request to the UK to stop freezing and start indexing pensions for British pensioners living in Canada. Canada has always indexed its state pension in the UK. “The Department (for Work and Pensions) has recently received representations from the Government of Canada to negotiate a reciprocal social security agreement covering the uprating of pensions,” pensions minister Guy Opperman informed Parliament in We hope a prime ministerial handshake (like this one in 2019) will soon seal a deal to end pension freezing. December. It has been many years since Canada last in the EU – a clear indication that their Thanks to you… formally requested a reciprocal agreement, ‘no more deals’ and ‘focus on domestic We have no doubt that persistent given that the UK simply deflected all pensioners only’ policy has changed. This lobbying by CABP members is what past applications by claiming they no makes it problematic for them to reject keeps the ‘pension freezing injustice’ longer brokered such deals. They also Canada’s latest request based on their file open and active in Ottawa, despite claimed that their priority lay solely with traditional grounds for doing so. years of stonewalling by the UK. The pensioners resident in Britain. The pension minister’s statement to news of Canada’s formal request signals Fast forward to 2021. Within the Parliament was given in answer to a the immense value of maintaining the past year, Britain has signed 23 new question posed by a supportive MP on lobbying pressure. agreements, all of them with countries behalf of our campaign.
SUPPORT THE ONE-AND-ONLY CAMPAIGN TO END PENSION FREEZING INSIDE Votes for life...... 2 Be sure to renew your CABP Support in Commons...... 3 membership for 2021 Support in Lords...... 4 Online via: https://www.britishpensions.com/ Chairman’s Column...... 5 membership-details/membership-renewal/ APPG Inquiry Report ...... 5 By phone to: 416-253-6402 or mail in the Mailbag...... 8 form inside back cover .
Canadian Alliance of British Pensioners Visit us at www.BritishPensions.com JUSTICE is published by: Overseas votes key CANADIAN ALLIANCE OF BRITISH PENSIONERS National Office: 202–4800 Dundas Street West, Toronto, ON M9A 1B1 to achieving change Tel: 416-253-6402 Email: [email protected] by John Duffy, Chairman, International Consortium of British Pensioners Web: www.BritishPensions.com OFFICE HOURS: was probably one of the worst years in living memory for most Tuesday-Friday, 10 am to 2 pm (Eastern Time) 2020 people, none more so than pensioners. We are the age group most Editor: Rosalind Tosh • justice@britishpensions .com severely stricken by COVID-19 and many of us have also had to endure months Advertising: Malcolm Campbell of isolation from family and friends – all of this made even worse for those malcolmcampbell@britishpensions .com already struggling every day to survive on a frozen pension. © Canadian Alliance of British Pensioners It was extremely disappointing to note that while pension up-ratings were a big part of the UK Government’s exit negotiations from the EU, such requests from Australia and Canada for equal treatment have yet to be accorded due diligence. Despite what it claims, Britain’s callousness towards ‘frozen’ pensioners has LOCAL CONTACTS nothing to do with cost: when money is deemed necessary for political reasons, ONTARIO: the government finds it, witness the hundreds of billions suddenly magicked out GTA & Surround: Margaret Wells of nowhere to prop up the pandemic-wrecked UK economy. The one and only Tel: 905-450-0626 • Email: mawells@pathcom com. reason the government persists in withholding equitable pensions in non-EU Orillia/Barrie: Alan Llewellyn Tel: 705-329-0894 • Email: alwell04@yahoo .ca countries is that it sees no political benefit – no votes – in including them. It does Ottawa: Gill Toll see votes in up-rating pensions in the EU. Tel: 613-986-9431 • Email: gilly3745 .mj@gmail .com Parry Sound-Muskoka: Peter Sanguinetti However, there is light on the horizon. Tel: 705-477-2489 • Email: peter .sanguinetti7@gmail .com The Conservative Government pledged in 2015 to introduce ‘votes for life’ by Richmond: Anthony Samotus scrapping the 15-year limit on British citizens voting in parliamentary elections Tel:647-744-8815 • Email: anthonysamotus@icloud .com ALBERTA: from overseas. When that happens, global pension parity will finally gain political Calgary, Okotoks, High River: Phil Haworth currency in Britain: the powerful currency of the ballot box. Tel: 403-470-0440 • Email: philpilot@shaw .ca The Overseas Electors Bill received First Reading in July 2017 and Second Elsewhere: Smokey Seidel Tel: 403-981-3936 • Email: smokey .cabp@gmail .com Reading in February 2018. It completed the Committee Stage (detailed MANITOBA: Geoff Davies examination) without amendment, and then the Report Stage (discussion Tel: 204-745-6727 • Email: digeoffdavies@mymts .net in Parliament) in March 2019. Normally, the Report Stage is followed NEW BRUNSWICK: Franklin Cardy Tel: 506-529-4280 • Email: fcardy@nb .sympatico .ca immediately by Third Reading (final debate), however that has yet to happen NOVA SCOTIA: Michael Alford in this case. Tel: 902-835-9780 • Email: mjalford@bellaliant .net We are working to get the Bill back on track. Frozen pensioners need this PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND: Stephen Lowe Tel: 902-963-4009 • Email: stephenlowe .pei@outlook .com Government’s ‘votes for life’ promise to be fulfilled. QUEBEC: 2021 will be a year of change for a lot of things. With the help of our PR Montreal: Marianne Braganza Tel: 514- 231-5166 • Email: mnbraganza44@gmail com. agency in London, we are doing all we can so that frozen pensions can be one of BRITISH COLUMBIA: them. We are hopeful that the widespread administering of the COVID vaccine Chilliwack: Ed Stone will once again allow pension discrimination to take its rightful place in the Tel: 604-745-4747 • Email: edstone@shaw .ca headlines. Greater Vancouver: Fiona Macleod Tel: 250-812-4192 • Email: f .mac@telus net. Greater Victoria: Fiona Macleod Tel: 250-812-4192 • Email: f .mac@telus net. Nanaimo: Ian Andexser Tel: 250-758-7594 • Email: ianandexser@gmail .com 2021-2022 State Pension Rate Okanagan: Jean Amatt Tel: 250-549-6008 • Email:jean .amatt@gmail .com From 6 April 2021, the state pension will increase by 2 .5% in countries Sooke Area: Fred Whittaker, where it is not frozen . Tel: 250-642-4968 • Email: seapeeps@telus .net • The full old state pension will rise to £137 .60 a week . Sidney / Saanich: Darrylyn Child Tel: 250-655-4677 • The full new state pension will rise to £179 .60 a week . Elsewhere: Ian Andexser Tel: 250-758-7594 • Email: ianandexser@gmail .com OTHER CANADIAN LOCATIONS & INTERNATIONAL: CABP Office: Tel: 416-253-6402 • Email: info@britishpensions .com Deadline for submissions Please note: All comments, information, articles, opinions to the next issue: and answers appearing in JUSTICE or provided by CABP or its volunteers are offered in good faith but are not intended to be a substitute for informed professional advice . 19 March 2021
2 - JUSTICE #1, 2021 MPs speak out for pension parity
he annual April increase in the present an additional amendment, one CABP notes that the stirring statement amount of the UK state pension that would include ‘frozen’ pensioners in made by MP Jonathan Reynolds confirms Twas in danger of being withheld this the annual increase. It read: No power the importance and power of ‘frozen’ year due to legislation that says up-rating may be exercised under this or any pensioners continuing to lobby British can only be awarded when previous-year other Act so as to exempt persons not MPs on the issue. earnings have shown growth. Wages ordinarily resident in Great Britain from were not expected to show growth in entitlement to up-rating increases granted 2020, however, because of the pandemic, by [...] this Act. Your stories breathe life thus an amendment to the Up-rating Arguing for this amendment, MP into paper policy of Benefits Bill had to be presented and Chris Stephens said that the state pension Stories of personal hardship that passed late last year in order to allow for a is a right, not a privilege. pensioners share with MPs are often pension increase this spring regardless. “UK pensioners who have paid quoted during debates in Parliament to Our supporters in the House of their fair share of national insurance illustrate and drive home the fact that the Commons used the opportunity to contributions should not have to suffer,” daily lives of real people are impacted by he said. “(They) now face ending their policy decisions made on paper . days in poverty because they choose We are asking CABP members to to live in the wrong country, in most please share your own frozen-pension cases without any knowledge of the experiences with Westminster MPs, implications of their choice for their especially during this time of pandemic pension.” stress . Your story contributions would In his turn, MP Jonathan Reynolds stated help our campaign enormously . that he receives a lot of correspondence on You could begin by simply the subject and that some of the stories are communicating with the MP for your “very moving.” Expressing his “considerable former UK constituency (https://www . Chris Stephens, SNP MP: Jonathan Reynolds, sympathy,” he noted that MPs are britishpensions .com/find-my-uk-mp/) and “The state pension is a Labour-Coop MP: “absolutely right to probe the Government proceed from there as time permits . right, not a privilege.” “Considerable sympathy.” on this issue.” Imperative for Government to engage with pension campaigners during Covid Lib Dem Chief Whip Wendy Chamberlain has urged the UK She also called the Government’s attention to the Government to “actively engage” with campaigners who have “disproportionate impact” that pension freezing has on been seeking to end pension freezing, saying it was “imperative” vulnerable groups such as the Windrush Generation. that they do so during the pandemic. Both MPs raised the issue during a wide-ranging parliamentary “This has been a hugely difficult time for many of those debate covering the future of private- and public-sector pensions pensioners,” she said. “... and the Government have not policy. They were determined to ensure that the inequity that committed to uplifting those pensions, at the very least for the currently exists in state pension policy was not overlooked. duration of the Covid pandemic.” She noted a missed opportunity last November to resolve the issue when the Pension Schemes Bill 2019-2021 received third reading in the Commons. “We might just have taken a huge step in relation to pensions through legislation,” she said. “But these campaigns continue, and it is imperative that the Government actively engage with them.” Significant inequality SNP Deputy Westminster Leader Kirsten Oswald also rose to address the issue, spotlighting the “significant inequality” that Wendy Chamberlain, Lib Dem Chief Kirsten Oswald, SNP Deputy exists between pensioners living in frozen countries versus non- Whip: “It is imperative that the Westminster Leader: “We now have frozen, with the former experiencing an ever-increasing decrease Government actively engage with significant inequality built up.” in their pensions’ real value year on year. (pension campaigners).”
JUSTICE #1, 2021 - 3 Conservative peers blast pension freezing hen the Up-rating of Benefits Canada are among those countries to continue up-rating pensions in the Bill proceeded to the House (where pensions are frozen), given our EU. “Surely it is time to treat all our Wof Lords along with the historical and kinship ties with them,” pensioners equally, regardless of where amendment to enable pension up-rating he said. “This is especially regrettable they reside.” in 2021 in spite of a lack of growth in against the background of our anticipated “We will not cease raising the issue earnings during the past year, four peers accession to the Comprehensive and until this wrong is righted,” he vowed, spoke out in support of including ‘frozen’ Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific paying tribute to the International pensioners in the increase. Partnership, which should increase trade Consortium of British Pensioners and “This is an opportunity to do and investment involvement with those to “stalwart campaigners such as (ICBP something about this rather tragic little countries.” Chairman) John Duffy and Jim Tilley (in group,” stated Baroness Meacher. “I He ended by declaring, “I commend Australia).” welcome the Bill.” the activities of the End Frozen Pensions Acknowledging that all the points Former pensions minister Baroness pressure group for bringing this had been well made, Baroness Stedman- Altmann appeared to concur, saying, “I unfortunate anomaly to your Lordships’ Scott responded predictably for the know that this is a difficult issue for the attention.” government. “The current policy has department, but it might be one, in light The fourth Peer to rise in support of been in place for around 70 years and ... of the pandemic and of Brexit, that we ending freezing was Lord Randall, who there are no plans to change this.” wish to reconsider.” spoke passionately for eight minutes, True to his word, Lord Randall again In his turn, Viscount Trenchard asked insisting, “The time to rectify this blot on raised the issue in the Upper Chamber the Government why it had not chosen the good name of the UK is now.” just two weeks later. Video here: https:// this Bill as the means of “correcting the He pointed to the Withdrawal www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIfKca70fX anomaly” of selective pension freezing. Agreement Act passed in January 2020, s&list=PLQJvfdentF9JQ51YUSoI9xleIi8 “It is shocking that Australia and in which the Government committed uS-0Wl&index=1
Lord Randall (Cons): “We will not Baroness Meacher: “An opportunity to Baroness Altmann (Cons): “A difficult Viscount Trenchard (Cons): “It is cease raising the issue until this do something about this rather tragic issue…but it might be one… that we shocking ... especially regrettable.” wrong is righted.” little group.” wish to reconsider.” Gain access to your membership account f you have not already done so, please remember to ‘activate’ your CABP membership account on our website. Activating your account allows you to change your personal profile details at any time, including mailing address, email address, phone number, etc. IYou can also view your payment history, To activate your account, go to the website (https://www.britishpensions.com), click on ‘Membership Details’ and choose ‘Member Login’ from the dropdown menu. You will then be asked for your password, however if you have never logged in before, simply click on ‘Forgot Password’ and a direct link will be sent to you via the email account we have on file for you. If you need assistance, please email our office [email protected] .
4 - JUSTICE #1, 2021 Chairman’s Column Canada must take the moral high ground
by Ian Andexser, CABP Chairman
ith the arrival of 2021, Brexit has become a done-and- In the meantime, for as long as Britain continues its dusted event, and we are pleased that at least the UK immoral impoverishment of designated pensioners, it is Wdid the right thing for pensioners who choose to live in incumbent on the governments of frozen countries such as EU countries: they will continue to have their pensions indexed. Canada to take the moral high ground and apply whatever However, the fact that the government signed reciprocal possible leverage they can find to achieve an end to the UK’s agreements with 23 of those countries in order to accomplish double dealings. this, while refusing to do so with frozen Commonwealth Canada has leverage right now while negotiations for a new countries, is an affront to Britain’s historic ‘Family of Nations’ trade deal between Ottawa and the UK are still on the table. and, most expressly, to frozen pensioners everywhere. Please write to your federal MP in Ottawa and ask them It also provides a potential accelerant for our campaign. to make sure the government makes it abundantly clear For decades, the UK has trotted out the same familiar to the UK that the inequitable treatment of pensioners boilerplate brush-off every time Canada has asked for a (including yourself) is very much on Canada’s mind during reciprocal agreement covering pensions: they insisted they no these trade talks. It is time for pension indexation to be a longer sign such deals. Now that this has been exposed as a prerequisite for any deal – not a part of the deal, necessarily, falsehood, or at least no longer true, surely even they could not but a condition that needs to be met before ratification can be shameless enough to trot it out again in response to Canada’s be achieved. recently resubmitted application. (See p.1.) Inquiry exposes freezing as ‘a matter of national shame’
he Westminster-based inquiry The report’s chief submissions received from a into pension freezing released its recommendation is for wide range of stakeholders Treport in mid-December, revealing the government to abolish including civil society a shameful picture of the status of the pension freezing – and do groups such as Age UK 510,00 British pensioners whose pensions so without delay, given that – groups who have had are frozen by the UK Government. this age group is suffering to deal with the negative • One in every two receives less than the most during the global impact of the freezing policy £66 a week. pandemic. within Britain itself. The • More than half struggle financially. The report reveals the governments of Canada and • Sixteen percent (some 81,500) are annual cost of pension Australia were among the veterans of the UK Armed Forces. uprating to be “just 0.3%” affected countries to present • Four out of every ten were in public of the total budget sought submissions. They also Inquiry head Sir Roger Gale: service. by the Department for confirmed their constant Work and Pensions for “It is past time for…the wrong readiness to cooperate in • Nine out of ten were not informed of decades (to be) righted.” that their pension would be frozen 2019-20. In addition, it resolving the issue, while prior to leaving the UK. states that the cost would be dwarfed by pointing out that it could be achieved by the financial benefit that would accrue UK domestic legislation alone. • COVID-19 intensifies their financial to the UK due to uprating making it The release of the inquiry’s report and health-related stresses. possible for British pensioners to live – marks another key step forward in the Declaring pension freezing a matter of or continue living – overseas instead of campaign for pension justice. Supportive national shame, Sir Roger Gale, chairman adding to the growing burden on the MPs continue to raise the report’s of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on NHS and social services. findings in Parliament on a frequent Frozen British Pensions which conducted The findings in the report are based basis, pushing for redress of the issue. You the inquiry last year, said: “It is past time on evidence provided to the inquiry can read the full document here: http:// for this injustice to be addressed and the in a survey of more than 2500 ‘frozen’ frozenbritishpensions.org/2020-appg- wrong of decades (to be) righted.” pensioners, and in more than 800 inquiry/
JUSTICE #1, 2021 - 5 Our thoughts are with Jim by Ian Andexser, CABP Chairman
im Tilley, vice chairman of British A message from Jim Pensions in Australia and a director Not long after receiving his diagnosis, true of our consortium, is one of the J to form, Jim penned a message to pensioners most (if not the most) ardent pursuers of encouraging the continuation and growth of the justice for frozen British pensioners. He campaign that has shaped the past 21 years of has dedicated the past 21 years of his life his life. to the goal of ending pension freezing, and when our campaign is won all “Please do all you can to promote our British pensioners of today – and those international mission to get all UK frozen yet to come – will owe him a huge debt pensioners uprated. Visit www.pensionjustice. of gratitude. org and www.endfrozenpensions.org and share Jim was recently diagnosed with brain our messages if you can, wherever you live in cancer. While he focusses on taking care this struggling world. of his health, we would ask him to rest “In particular, please support us by joining easy, knowing that the drive to achieve and donating to British Pensions in Australia his objective will not lessen or falter. (www.bpia.org.au) or the Canadian Alliance We will work with renewed ardour and of British Pensioners (www.britishpensions. persistence, inspired by his example and com). Both organizations pay for the expert unfailing passion. help and advice required for us to succeed. I speak on behalf of all in Canada, With maximum support and sufficient funds, Jim Tilley has been a force of nature at the our worthy campaign will prevail and all UK forefront of the campaign to end pension Jim, when I say we will forever be freezing for more than two decades grateful to you. And when victory is pensioners will be treated fairly and equally. and has singlehandedly secured tens of achieved, it is our fondest wish to be “I can do little more now, with this appalling thousands of pounds owed to dozens of able to shake your hand and celebrate cancer affliction with which I have been stricken in individual pensioners in Australia. with you. the past three weeks.”
CALLCALL FORFOR NOMINATIONSNOMINATIONS to CABP’s Board of Directors
We invite all CABP members to submit the name of any person(s) they wish to be considered for election to the Board of Directors . Candidates must be members of CABP for at least 90 days prior to April 13, 2021 . Per CABP by-law 6 .04, all nominations shall be in writing and shall be accompanied by: (a) the name, age and contact information of the person; (b) a biographical outline of the individual; and (c) the consent of the nominee to stand for election . Nominations must be received at CABP’s national office no later than April 13, 2021 . Send or deliver to: Canadian Alliance of British Pensioners 202–4800 Dundas Street West Toronto, ON M9A 1B1
6 - JUSTICE #1, 2021 Canada-UK committee needs to be told
by Ian Andexser, CABP Chairman
he Canada-UK Inter-Parliamentary Association in Ottawa needs to hear from lots of CABP members Formula for the billion-dollar effect Tabout the impact that Britain’s pension freezing policy has on their lives. • Money withheld from recipients of the UK state pension living in In my most recent conversation with MP Matt Jeneroux, Canada = approximately £170 million per year (Can$302 million) a member of the bi-national association and a supporter of our campaign, he indicated that it would be beneficial if • If this “new” money were added to Canada’s money supply, it more of his Ottawa colleagues were made aware of the nega- would increase economic activity anywhere from $700 million to tive effect that freezing has on Canada and on pensioners $1 billion a year, per the following Economics 101 formula for the living here. relationship of money supply to GDP: We would ask you to please write to your local Ottawa ( Money Supply ) X (Velocity of Money)1 = GDP MP, telling your personal story and asking for their support (Can$302 million) X ( 3 )2 = $906 million in having the issue discussed without delay at a meeting of the bi-national association. Tell them too that freezing is estimated to adversely impact Canada’s GDP by as much as The key variables that dictate the precise impact are total money one billion dollars a year (see ‘Formula’ on right). supply, total GDP, and the UK–Canadian currency exchange rate . Be sure to ‘cc’ your email or postage-free letter to the ten Canadian MPs who serve on the executive commit- 1 .‘Velocity of money’ is the average frequency with which a unit of money is spent in an tee of the bi-national association: John McKay, Francesco economy . Sorbara, John Barlow, Daniel Blaikie, Greg Fergus, Matt 2 .In Canada, the ‘velocity of money’ factor has varied between 2 and 3 over the course of the Jeneroux, Marie-France Lalonde, James Maloney, Christine last 20 years . Normandin and Jamie Schmale.
MP Matt Jeneroux (right) with members of the Canada-UK Inter-Parliamentary Association.
JUSTICE #1, 2021 - 7 HAVING YOUR SAY… OAS windfall A good vent I have just renewed my CABP membership and have included I worked in the UK all my life up to the age of 62. I served in a donation of $500 because of your help in telling me about the Royal Air Force for 40 years and went to war for the country. Canada’s Old Age Security payments – a pension I previously Now they tell me that my military pension will not rise by the knew nothing about, having come from the UK after retirement. normal rule this year and that the method of calculating it will be I had asked if you thought I was eligible for the federal changed in the future, and NOT in my favour. In addition, the government’s one-time payment of $300 to seniors to help state pension will rise by 2.5% in April, but not for me because during the coronavirus, having found no answer on the CRA of where I live. A double whammy! There is no justification for website or from my MP. Now, thanks to CABP, I have received making us suffer this humiliation and prejudice, especially when the $300 and also the monthly OAS payments, which will make we are actually helping Britain by not being a burden to the a big difference to my miserable UK pension which has been NHS and social services. frozen since 2008. Please tell others about the OAS, as I am sure Bill Thompson I am not the only one who had not heard of it. Membership # 23971, Vaudreuil-Dorion, QC Richard G Hayter Membership # 31978, Kaslo, BC Ed: Thank you, Bill, for also voicing these concerns so vigorously to your former UK MP. Ed: Thank you for your generous donation, Richard. And please see A Canadian pension for those with no Canadian work record on p.11. Stain brings hope I was born in Worthing, West Sussex in 1946. I have written to the M.P. there, Sir Peter Bottomley, who has proposed many Biking, anyone? motions on our behalf. It was reported that he recently spoke in The campaign for pension justice has been fought on many Parliament of the ongoing injustice regarding British pensioners fronts, e.g., letter writing, petitioning, advertising, etc. I would abroad as “The biggest stain” on the government. This like to propose another method: a ‘protest’ bike ride from John acknowledgement of said ‘stain’ by a member of the governing O’Groats to London, culminating with a demonstration at party was somewhat encouraging. I shall remain hopeful for a Westminster in early April 2022 when another year of pension future victory. indexation begins for everyone but us. We’d need people who are John Mitchell able to cycle at least a portion of the route, with the maximum Membership # 32424, Victoria, BC being 50 miles in any given day. I am prepared to finance my own trip and I’m also willing to organise the ride. If such an event could be of interest to you, please email me at davie53@ Letters to the Editor should be sent to the National telus.net. Office or to: [email protected]. David Currie The Editor reserves the right to edit Membership # 3992, Vancouver, BC letters for clarity or length.
Thank you, Brian
ABP is totally dependant on volunteers – without them, the campaign for pension justice simply could not exist. Some volunteers really stand out, and Brian Fenoulhet, now in his Cnineties, is one such person. Before his recent move to Ottawa, Brian volunteered in the Toronto office every week for a great many years – if you called CABP any Wednesday, it was his friendly voice that greeted you. He was also a familiar face at many AGMs, helping ensure everything ran smoothly. “He was always willing to accompany Team Wells as we trekked all over the GTA,” says former CABP director Margaret Wells. “From Ajax to Niagara, Brian helped spread the word and enrol new members at meetings and at special events like the British Isles Show.” CABP’s board and office crew extend deepest thanks to Brian and wish him every good thing in Brian Fenoulhet was CABP’s friendly his new life in the nation’s capital. ‘Wednesday voice.’
8 - JUSTICE #1, 2021 Resourceful action THE ISSUE by diligent member AT A GLANCE ur thanks to all members who tell us what they are doing to help promote our campaign to end pension freezing. Rob Hawkins of OOakville, Ontario is one who most recently has earned special mention. Rob searched through assorted CABP communications in order to There are 12 million UK state compile a concise summary of pension freezing and the international pensioners, all of whom contributed campaign underway. He then sent the summary to Prime Minister Trudeau similarly to the pension scheme and also the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of International Trade, accompanied by a stirring letter which included the following appeal: via compulsory National Insurance “Please ensure that the Canadian government informs the UK government Contributions . that full indexation of UK state pensions… is a non-negotiable condition • for… a new trade agreement.” Of the 12 million, just over When telling us of his actions – we always want to hear what members are doing – Rob thoughtfully assured us there was no need to respond as doing one million live outside the UK . so would add to our workload. • Your support is deeply appreciated, Rob. Thank you. Half of the pensioners living overseas receive the same annual cost-of- living increases as those still living in the UK, while the other half does Currency Exchange not – their pensions are frozen simply because of where they have chosen to reside in their retirement . • Save time and money Commonwealth nations and British overseas territories are home to 98 converting your per cent of “frozen” pensioners . Pounds to Dollars • There are more than 135,000 in Contact: Curtis Golding Canada plus tens of thousands more 1.866.375.2124 I Curtis.Golding@ rmafx.com expats heading towards pension age .
Rated ‘Excellent’ on
JUSTICE #1, 2021 - 9 CABP advice = money in the bank by Alistair Des Moulins, CABP Membership 24077
ore than a decade ago, a mem- in the UK. Some friends suggested this information, so I turned to CABP and ber of a hiking club I belonged was unfair, however if my wife had lived the matter was soon clarified. My wife Mto spoke to me about CABP. in Britain and not worked there, she would indeed get the pension despite me Though I was still some years from would get the pension… so no difference. being in the new system; however, she reaching pension age, I went to a local I sent our marriage certificate off to the would not get it until I reached pension information meeting and learned that Department for Work and Pensions. age. I could increase my future pension by I would reach pension age in early 2017. CABP also advised me that it would buying back years of National Insurance A new pension scheme was in the process be beneficial for me to make a further six contributions to add to the 11 years of of being introduced and for a while it (but no more) years of NI contributions, contributions I already had from work- was unclear whether I would come under as they would quickly be paid back ing in the UK. I analysed the data and the old or new system. Eventually it was in benefits, even with the absence of came to the conclusion that it would be decided that I would be in the new system, indexing. worthwhile to do this, assuming I lived which does not provide a spousal pension. The result is that today my wife for a few years after age 65. I consequent- My wife, however, would reach state and I are benefiting substantially from ly made an additional 13 years of back pension age a year earlier than me and so information and advice we received from contributions. qualify under the old system. Would she CABP: my state pension is based on 30 I then learned through CABP that get the spousal pension? years of contributions rather than just my wife would be eligible for a spousal I phoned the DWP in Newcastle to 11, and my wife has a pension we never pension, even though she had never lived ask about this and received conflicting expected. Thanks, CABP!
Do you live in the Greater Toronto Area?
Once COVID-19 restrictions are finally behind us, we will be needing volunteers to help out in CABP’s office for a few hours once a week or so, answering the phone and doing small clerical jobs . If you are looking forward to being able to participate once again in constructive volunteer work such as this, contact our office manager, Angela, at info@britishpensions .com or 416-253- 6402 . We will be sure to follow through with you when it is safe to do so . CABP’s office is located at 4800 Dundas Street West in Toronto, at the intersection of Dundas and Islington, easily reachable by public transportation and with free onsite parking .
10 - JUSTICE #1, 2021 A Canadian pension for those with no Canadian work record
ABP members with no work history in Canada, has a social security agreement may help a person meet or including those who moved here after retirement, exceed that minimum requirement. The amount of the Cknow that they are not eligible for the earnings-related OAS pension will be based on the total number of years of Canada Pension Plan (CPP) pension, however they could residency. be entitled to receive a monthly Old Age Security (OAS) The current maximum OAS pension is $615.37 a month. pension. Recipients may also qualify to receive a monthly To qualify, a person must be 65 years or older and have Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS). lived in Canada for at least 10 years since the age of 18, Full details here: https://www.canada.ca/en/services/ although time spent in another country with which Canada benefits/publicpensions/cpp/old-age-security.html
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JUSTICE #1, 2021 - 11 Your ad will be seen COAST-to-COAST in JUSTICE
PLACE YOUR AD WITH Malcolm Campbell [email protected] 416-253-6402
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12 - JUSTICE #1, 2021