State Pension uprating in April will not be paid to nearly half a million older people

Millions of people on the New or Basic State Pension will see their weekly payments rise by 4.1 per cent from April under the Triple Lock. However, nearly half a million pensioners will not receive the annual uprating because they now live in a country which does not have a reciprocal agreement with the UK Government.

Despite ongoing awareness campaigning to encourage the UK Government to bring State Pensions into line with current payment rates and restore the Triple Lock for Brits who have retired abroad, Pensions Minister Emma Reynolds, recently said that the DWP “is not negotiating any reciprocal social security agreements”. DWP Minister Sir Stephen Timms has also confirmed that of the 12.9 million people of State Pension age, the 2025/26 uprating will only be issued to 12.5m pensioners.

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Sir Stephen said: “From April 2025, around 12.5 million people receiving either the Basic or New State Pension will see it increased by 4.1 per cent, in line with our commitment to the Triple Lock. Some people will receive an increase of 1.7 per cent (in line with price inflation) on other elements of their State Pension, including Protected Payments and additional State Pension.

“Under both the Basic and New State Pensions, the amount people are entitled to, and the annual increases, vary according to the individual’s National Insurance record, but both reflect the National Insurance contributions they have made.”

Some 453,000 pensioners will miss out on increased payments because they have chosen to spend retirement abroad in a country that does not have a reciprocal agreement with the UK Government. Many have seen their State Pension payments ‘frozen’ at the point of emigration.

Under the earnings growth element of the Triple Lock (4.1%), people on the full New State Pension will see payments rise by £9.10 per week from £221.20 to £230.30 and as the payment is typically made every four weeks this amounts to £921.20.

This will see annual payments rise by £473.60 from £11,502 to £11,975.60 over the 2025/26 financial year.

Similarly, someone on the full Basic State Pension will see weekly payments rise by £6.95 per week from £169.50 to £176.45, or £705.80 every four-week payment period.

Annual payments will rise by £361.40 from £8,814 to £9,175.40 over the 2025/26 financial year.

The International Consortium of British Pensioners (ICBP) advocates on behalf of around 453,000 expats affected by ‘frozen pensions’ and is behind the ‘End Frozen Pensions’ campaign, which aims to “end the injustice” for Brits who have moved abroad whose State Pension does not rise in-line with the Triple Lock every April.

Many retirees now living in countries which do no have a reciprocal agreement with the UK such as Canada, Australia and New Zealand, have seen their State Pension frozen. This is despite having worked and lived in the UK for most of their lives and paid their quota of National Insurance Contributions, which would entitle them to State Pension payments - if they had not relocated.

You need at least 10 years’ worth of National Insurance Contributions to be eligible to claim the State Pensions and around 35 years for the full amount, although this may be more if you have been ‘contracted out’.

Analysis by the Canadian Alliance of British Pensioners indicates that all these frozen State Pensions could be brought in-line with the current State Pension pay rates by the new Labour Government for £50 million. Its analysis shows that State Pension payments to frozen countries only amounts to 1.3 per cent of the UK Government’s total annual expenditure.

You can find out more about the End Frozen Pensions Campaign on their website here.