War veteran, 99, demands end to 'frozen pensions' scandal which has cost her £47k

Anne Puckridge's pension payments haven't risen successful 23 years (Image: Gill Mittins / SWNS)

Anne Puckridge, 99, worked arsenic a exertion lecturer until she retired astatine 60 and moved to Calgary, Canada aged 76, successful 2001.

She says she was not alert it would mean her pension magnitude would beryllium frozen astatine £72.50 a week the magnitude it was erstwhile she near the UK.

Since past she has missed retired connected astir £47,673 due to the fact that of the 'frozen pensions' policy, which affects British citizens who discontinue to definite countries.

Under this system, payments are fixed - and OAPs don't get the yearly inflationary increases pensioners successful the UK get nether the triple lock rules.

If Anne, a WW2 vet, had stayed successful the UK, she would beryllium entitled to £169.50 a week - £97 much than she gets present - and £221.20 successful April 2025.

Anne, who paid taxes for much than 50 years, is present petitioning to alteration the rules - and coming implicit to request a gathering with PM Keir Starmer earlier she turns 100.

Anne Puckridge (Image: Gill Mittins / SWNS)

Expats successful countries including Australia, Thailand, New Zealand and South Africa besides look 'frozen' pensions.

Reports earlier this twelvemonth said astir 453,000 UK pensioners are impacted - receiving £4,900 little a twelvemonth each than retirees who stay successful the UK.

Anne, who served successful WW2 successful the Army, Navy and RAF for 4 years, said: "At status if you permission the UK, you merit to beryllium treated connected the aforesaid presumption arsenic anyone who stays.

"I was ne'er warned my pension would beryllium frozen; they said I was, but I wasn't.

"I person to beryllium truthful cautious however I walk my wealth - I tin hardly spend to bargain apparel and I tin ne'er spell connected holidays.

"People connected frozen pensions person had their dignity removed and determination is nary prime of life.

"If I were conscionable implicit the borderline successful America, I'd beryllium connected a afloat pension now. It's conscionable discrimination.

"I privation to get the British authorities to unfastened their eyes and realise the grade of the cruelty of this policy."

From left: Diane Duckett, 66, Gill Mittins, 71, and their parent Anne Puckridge, 99, successful Calgary (Image: Gill Mittins / SWNS)

Anne served successful India successful WW2 until the extremity of the war, joining aged 17 successful 1942 aft telling them she was 18, due to the fact that she wanted to combat for her country.

After that she lived successful Aberdeen, Scotland, and raised 3 children, earlier moving to Stroud, Gloucestershire.

When her children grew up she went backmost to enactment full-time arsenic a assemblage lecturer successful technology, aft taking nighttime classes to larn the skills she needed.

At 60 she dropped to part-time enactment but didn't discontinue for bully until she was 76, erstwhile she packed up and moved to Canada.

Under triple lock, retirees spot payments emergence implicit clip - adjacent if they determination to immoderate of a ample fig of different countries.

But due to the fact that a prime fewer countries including Canada, Australia and New Zealand, don't person a reciprocal statement successful spot with Britain, retirees moving to those nations don't spot pension increases.

She said: "When I started asking wherefore my pension wasn't increasing, it took maine years to get an answer.

"When I yet recovered retired why, I was truthful definite it was a mistake. I was truthful definite determination was nary mode specified a atrocious argumentation could continue.

"But I was told it's a long-standing argumentation and determination are nary plans to marque changes.

"Now I'm 99 and I'm inactive warring for it - and surviving with the frustration, disappointment and disgust."

Gill Mittins (Image: Gill Mittins)

Anne's daughter, Gill Mittins, 71, is present claiming a pension of her own, and feels incapable to permission her location successful Falkirk, Scotland to discontinue successful a warmer climate, arsenic she'd person to sacrifice her pension increases arsenic a effect of the aforesaid policy.

Gill launched a petition connected behalf of Anne, demanding Keir Starmer conscionable with Anne adjacent clip she returns to the UK - truthful she tin plead the lawsuit for herself.

Gill said: "It's conscionable plain incorrect and discriminatory successful the extreme.

"All the warfare veterans similar mum, they fought for the state and ne'er expected to treated similar this. It's shabby treatment."

The Change.org petition has already amassed immoderate 33,000 signatures.

Gill and Anne person the enactment of authoritative run End Frozen Pensions.

John Duguid, Chair of the End Frozen Pensions campaign, said: "Anne is an inspiration to each 450,000 'frozen' overseas pensioners suffering the aforesaid plight arsenic her.

"She should not beryllium having to marque this travel due to the fact that of an outdated argumentation that does truthful small to prevention the Government wealth yet does truthful overmuch harm to truthful many."

Anne's petition: www.change.org/p/prime-minister-meet-with-my-99-year-old-ww2-veteran-mum-fighting-to-end-frozen-pensions