This is from the Commons Stardards Library, so seems pretty clear why (to me anyway!), but little consolation to many posters here....

Published 07 May 2014 | Standard notes SN01457
Amended 13 June 2014

UK pensioners living abroad in certain countries, including Australia, Canada, New Zealand and South Africa, have their state retirement pension "frozen". In other words, their pension is paid at the same rate as it was when they first became entitled, or the date they left the UK if they were already pensioners then. This applies in countries which are not party to a reciprocal social security agreement with the UK which requires increases to be paid. Where the individual lives in an EEA country, or one with which there is a relevant reciprocal agreement, the pension is uprated. The policy of not awarding increases has been followed by successive governments. Essentially, the reason for not uprating retirement pension in these countries is cost and the desire to focus constrained resources on pensioners living in the UK. This policy will continue to apply when the single-tier State Pension is introduced for future pensioners from April 2016.

The policy has been subject to legal challenge. The case was heard by the European Court of Human Rights' Grand Chamber in September 2009 and the Court's judgment of March 2010 was in the UK Government's favour.

I take your point annsixty.
But I suppose that those who do emigrate, on the whole, take more than just their pension with them. Some of them take substantial sums.

Not sure that that justifies the Governments acting like they do though.

Has there ever been a legal case about this?

x post!

What do they mean by "cost". Cost of what?

Since there has been a legal case, I cant see this issue changing anytime soon.

Thanks, loopylou
Well, the UK Government has been taken to the European Court of Human Rights which found in Uk Government's favour so I don't see what else can be done.

Some of them take substantial sums
I think that is irrelevant, really, soon
Presumably they paid tax on these savings so they can do what they like with them and will get a better rate of interest if they invest it in an Australian bank account.

I remember those dark old days when you were only allowed to take was it £50? out of the country!

I don't think that the comments made by Robthefox and myself were particularly nasty. They refuted some of the arguments previously posted. I agree, I was bit mean pointing out a spelling mistake, but if you read the posts immediately preceding mine, you can maybe see what prompted that - the problem of frozen pensions was dismissed as a question of choice, and not of any great significance.

Pensioners for whom the cost of living updates really matter are not wealthy people ... for it to matter that much you need to be on quite a tight budget. I know of people who really struggle financially for the joy of seeing their grandchildren grow - those people wouldn't have it any other way but that doesn't make it right.

The UK pension is assessed for tax purposes. I agree, it is not directly taxed - but it is deducted from each individual's personal allowance. The resulting, reduced personal allowance means that more tax is paid on other income ... which is indirect taxation. (I think this is quite fair and correct by the way, and only mentioned it because one post incorrectly claimed that people who leave the country no longer pay UK tax.)

I really didn't know that seniors don't pay tax in Australia and find it incredible ... and very good news.

The problem with a topic like this is that it is bound to get a bit heated because it is quite an emotive issue. It's hard to describe the sense of loss you have when your children move so far away and difficult to come to terms with even after many years. Its easier when you can travel over and stay awhile, but with each passing year it becomes harder to cope with the twenty four hour flight, and for many people the cost of the fares becomes prohibitive. After the age of sixty five, travel insurance also becomes increasingly difficult to find. The growing family, meanwhile, are faced with travel costs for children as well as themselves .. so its likely that visits will become less frequent.

And while Skype may help, you can't hug a laptop.

goldbeater and rob - I was joining in the discussion and you disagree with me. So be it. I agree that the freezing of pensions in certain countries is unjust (I said as much). Call me defeatist, but I doubt this long-drawn out battle is going to be won in my lifetime. As I said, I've been hearing about it from my sister-in-law for as long as I can remember.

If people want to live near their children, then they have to make a decision based on their individual circumstances. If I wanted to be near a child of mine who lived on the other side of the world, I wouldn't let the prospect of a frozen pension increase stop me.

I agree with you grannyknot, I wouldn't let it stop me either. I'm in a strange position since I have the means to pay for a 'contributory parent visa' and could be there inside twelve months, but wont leave my own mother who is increasingly frail and confused.

However, there are people who would not be able to manage financially once the lack of cost of living updates started to kick in and this is something which is difficult to calculate and results in some people having to give up and come back.

I think you are right, I don't think this issue will be resolved any time soon, but I will continue to do what I can to argue against what I see as an injustice whenever I get the opportunity.

Perhaps we should leave it there

My comment regarding tax was related to VAT, I am well aware that no one is likely to be liable for tax on their state pension. I am still of the opinion that anyone leaving the UK for good is aware of the position regarding pensions and takes that in account when making their choice.
I would not therefore support any change to the present legislation.

I appreciate that this may be an unpopular opinion, but it is what I think.

Rosequartz, it has been very pleasant here all day, very spring like, BUT it has just started raining, so maybe our good weather is on it's way to you.
"Great Weather" is in the opinion of the individual, I have worked on most continents (apart from Africa) and prefer the mix of weather we get in England to anywhere else. Where else could you get such a varied landscape within a few hours drive.

I love England, Scotland & Wales.

Typo E&OE

I don't know the facts but I think that maybe the UK felt like pompa and
wanted the pensions frozen. Either you are in the UK and love it and think it is the best in the world or you leave it and forfit the pension increases you paid into.
But when in the EU they had to unfreeze the pensions to be like the rest of the EU. They didn't do it because they felt it was right, they did it because they had to.

pompa I know you are trying hard to send some as the wind has changed direction from the west to the east. But it is still a few shades of grey
(sorry, another red herring)

gold I'll shake on that .

You really are in a difficult position.

and only mentioned it because one post incorrectly claimed that people who leave the country no longer pay UK tax.

Excerpt from:https://www.gov.uk/tax-uk-income-live-abroad
*'Non-residents don’t usually pay UK tax on:
the State Pension'*

Either you are in the UK and love it and think it is the best in the world or you leave it and forfit the pension increases you paid into.
MargaretX I think that is rather harsh. You can love the UK and all it means to you, but you probably love your family more and want to be near them even if you feel homesick.

Thank you for that Margaretx My daughter only went for a year, but she met someone and fell for them and the rest, as they say, is history. I know she'd love me and her dad to be closer but she loves her partner ... and that's how it should be. Someone said they wished Captain Cook had been shot before he got to Australia and sometimes that's how I feel. If I'm still fit enough, I'll be able to go when my mum is no longer with me. But I still feel sorry for people unfortunate enough to have to make a choice between living comfortably and missing all the golden years with their children.

But when in the EU they had to unfreeze the pensions to be like the rest of the EU.

That's what I meant about abandoning the Commonwealth in favour of the EU.

No wonder half of Australians want to abandon us!

Careful rosequartz. I was repeating what *pompa said- or what I understood him to mean.

Careful rosequartz Why do I have to be careful??

I still think your post was a bit harsh.

If you re-post something that someone else said it's normal to put it in italics (as above) so that it is evident you are repeating someone else's words.
Otherwise it gets a bit confusing on a longish thread.

durhamjen only just seen your reply to me. Yes you are correct I do live in London and am very spoilt in our area, trains into London every 5 minutes and a bus stop outside my front door (just about).

as an aside, I find for longer train trips if I am able to book ahead there are some good deals - I've travelled to Scotland for £19 overnight by train - I was told to look out for the Bargain Berths on Scotrail. Amazing. So husband and I had a budget break in Edinburgh, we stayed in the Castle Rock Hostel in a room with a fabulous view of the Castle.

Rosie- As someone who lives abroad and gave up all hope of coming back to the Uk I don't need to be reminded of the sacrifices you make to be with the man you love, never mind grand children . Its awful for the old parents left behind but I think it is an informed choice and there should be no moaning about frozen pensions.
You are right about using italics and I overlooked this. Sorry for the confusion. But my views are different to pompa's. Better say sorry to him as well if he still reading this thread.

I had made up my mind not to make any further comment on this post but I absolutely have to add something.

Some of our children make an informed choice to live in Australia and if they miss out on family because of that, then that is a direct result of their own free will.

Parents who are left behind, however, did not make an informed choice - most of us had no choice at all, we were simply told that our darling sons and daughters were going to live twelve thousand miles away for a better life. So if we decide to run with the ball and follow them, with all the heartbreak and expense that causes, then we have every right to complain about the added cost of unjustly frozen pensions.

We may be ignored, misunderstood, dismissed and generally thought to be a whinging minority. But we still have the right to stick our hands up and say 'Hang on a minute, that isn't right.'

There are all kinds of injustices perpetrated by the UK government. Freezing the state pension for some ex-pats [me] is one; allowing some people who live in the UK to be "non-domicile" for tax purposes, while some who don't live in the UK [me] still pay taxes there.

For me the injustice lies in the fact that people have paid in and they should be entitled to their pay out.

MargaretX I don't see why people who have emigrated should have their pension increases withheld - it must be particularly upsetting to know that it only affects some countries and not others. I think they have a perfect right to "moan" about the unfairness of it and to campaign for a change.

A long flight to somewhere like Australia becomes increasingly difficult with passing years for many elderly people and, whilst Skype is a great way of keeping in touch, I don't believe it in any way compensates for having your family near you.

It sounds like a case of 'mis-sold pensions' to me.

This is an extract from Hansard from years ago:

'The scale of pensions mis-selling is profoundly shocking. Hundreds of thousands of people have been mis-sold pensions and as many as 2 million people's cases will need to be looked into. The sheer scale of the problem makes its resolution a priority for the Government.'

Of course they were talking about private pensions, not one they themselves sold!

On the subject of retiring to oz or Europe . Is it possible to live ok on a state pension with no mortgage. Would be interested to heR from others who have retired to Spain, and how they manage financially.