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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Court hearing expat pensions case | Court hearing expat pensions case |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A case that could affect the pensions of thousands of Britons who have retired abroad will be heard in a European court later. | A case that could affect the pensions of thousands of Britons who have retired abroad will be heard in a European court later. |
| A group of 13 pensioners who have moved abroad want their UK state pension to rise in line with inflation each year. | |
| Inflation proofing only applies to UK pensioners who live in the European Economic Area or in 15 other countries, but not some commonwealth states. | Inflation proofing only applies to UK pensioners who live in the European Economic Area or in 15 other countries, but not some commonwealth states. |
| A two-hour hearing will be held at the European Court of Human Rights. | A two-hour hearing will be held at the European Court of Human Rights. |
| This is the latest stage in a long-running legal challenge, and will be the end of the line in the legal process. | This is the latest stage in a long-running legal challenge, and will be the end of the line in the legal process. |
| The two-hour hearing is expected to take place in the Strasbourg court on Wednesday, but judgement in the case will not be made until March or April 2010. | The two-hour hearing is expected to take place in the Strasbourg court on Wednesday, but judgement in the case will not be made until March or April 2010. |
| Applicants | Applicants |
| One of those whose case is to be outlined during the hearing is Annette Carson, who emigrated to South Africa in 1989. | One of those whose case is to be outlined during the hearing is Annette Carson, who emigrated to South Africa in 1989. |
| After emigrating, she continued to make full contributions to her UK state pension and, on retirement in 2000, began to receive pension payments. | After emigrating, she continued to make full contributions to her UK state pension and, on retirement in 2000, began to receive pension payments. |
| But since then, the UK authorities have frozen the level of payments at £67.50 a week. | But since then, the UK authorities have frozen the level of payments at £67.50 a week. |
| She took her case through the UK court system, including to the House of Lords - where it was rejected. | |
| She and the other campaigners claim that the UK's rules unfairly discriminate against them, and nearly half a million other expatriate UK pensioners, in breach of the European Convention on Human Rights. | |
| However, the UK Department of Work and Pensions argues that the government's priority is to help the least well-off pensioners living in the UK. | However, the UK Department of Work and Pensions argues that the government's priority is to help the least well-off pensioners living in the UK. |
| Annual upratings of the UK state pension are paid to recipients living in the European Economic Area and Switzerland, as well as countries where there are reciprocal social security agreements such as the US, Jersey and Guernsey and Turkey. | Annual upratings of the UK state pension are paid to recipients living in the European Economic Area and Switzerland, as well as countries where there are reciprocal social security agreements such as the US, Jersey and Guernsey and Turkey. |
| Countries where pension payments to expats are frozen include Australia, Canada, South Africa and Hong Kong. | Countries where pension payments to expats are frozen include Australia, Canada, South Africa and Hong Kong. |