A meeting of the SAABP will be held on Saturday 14th August 2010 to review the disappointing results from the process described below, and review what further action might till be possible.
Contact the SAABP at the contact details at the end of this page.
European Court of Human Rights and frozen UK State Pensions
"Grand Chamber judgments
16/03/2010
The Court delivered two Grand Chamber judgments on Tuesday 16 March 2010. In the case of Carson and Others v. the United Kingdom the Court concluded that the United Kingdom authorities’ refusal to index-link pensions of former British residents was not discriminatory. Press releases, Grand Chamber judgment, webcast of the hearing."
This was the judgement of the Grand Chamber, by 11 votes to 6. This is better than the judgement of an earlier lower court, which ruled against the case by 6 votes to 1. However, it still means the case has been rejected.
We should await the view of the SAABP on what to do next. The UK Conservative Party is seeking to gain votes among voters living abroad by saying that if elected they will remedy this discrimination. It remains to be seen whether they actually commit to that on their election manifesto.
It would be interesting to see spelled out clearly what exactly are the terms of the so-called reciprocal agreement signed betwee UK and SA in the fifties that is in part the cause of the present inclusion of SA among the countries where pensions are frozen. Since there is no State Pension scheme in our country, what reciprocal terms could possibly apply to SA Citizens retiring to the UK? Meanwhile the SA economy is poorer by the amounts that UK Pensioners in SA are not bringing into the country - doesn't the SA Government have an iinterest in rectifying this, not just the Pensioners?
To ensure that you get the latest news and views from the SAABP, contact them and pay the modest membership fee - SAABP
South African Alliance of British Pensioners
P O Box 1650 Cramerview 2060
Honorary President Charles Poole
Secretary: Eric Byrom Tel. 011 706 3284 – email ericb0@absamail.co.za
Website address: www.byte.co.za/britishpensioners/index.html
Faxmail: 086 686 9969 (Use prefix 2711 if outside South Africa)