99-Year-Old War Veteran Challenges UK’s ‘Frozen Pensions’ Policy

Anne Puckridge, a WWII veteran, delivers a 130,000-signature petition pressing Prime Minister Keir Starmer to address pension disparities for British expats.

Anne Puckridge, a 99-year-old veteran, traveled over 4,400 miles from Canada to campaign against the UK’s policy of freezing pensions for retirees living in certain countries.
Puckridge’s state pension has been frozen at £72.50 per week since she moved to Canada in 2001, compared to the £169.50 she would receive if she lived in the UK.
The ‘frozen pensions’ policy affects nearly 500,000 British retirees abroad, primarily in Commonwealth countries, leaving many in financial hardship without inflation adjustments.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer declined to meet Puckridge, citing scheduling conflicts, instead delegating the meeting to Pensions Minister Emma Reynolds, which drew criticism from campaigners.
The petition, supported by over 130,000 signatories and prominent figures like Joanna Lumley, calls for an end to the policy, which Puckridge describes as a ‘cruel injustice.’