Plight of ‘frozen’ war hero
Elderly pair living abroad forced to sell home over pension pot
AVETERAN of the Suez and Korean conflicts who now lives in South Africa is calling on the Government to abandon its policy of freezing the pensions of people retired abroad.
David March, 88, and his wife, Pam, 81, were forced to sell their house to raise funds.
Every month, they receive around £530, but face a shortfall of £240.
The Government has come under international pressure to change its policy of not increasing pensions in line with inflation for Britons who have moved abroad, unless they go to a country where there is a reciprocal agreement.
This means hundreds of thousands of British citizens living overseas, often to be with family, are not paid the full basic state pension of £137.60 a week.
Mr March, who was born in Sherborne, Dorset, said: “We can just about survive and hope and pray our saviour will come when the UK Government see the error of their decision to freeze our pensions. I find living on a frozen state pension is very difficult as medical costs here are very expensive and inflation is bigger than any savings or investments my wife and I have.”
Mr March joined the Royal Navy at 15 and served in the Korean war, the Malayan Emergency and the Suez Crisis. He then worked at Clarks’ shoe factory, in Warminster, Wilts, where he met Pam.
He was invited to take up a post at a shoe factory in South Africa and they set up home in Port Elizabeth. They continued to top up their UK pensions but did not realise they would not get annual increases.
They have now lived with frozen pensions for nearly a quarter of a century and in 2016 had to sell their house to generate income.
The pair say they cannot afford to buy drinks in cafes, or presents, and have been hit by surging electricity prices. Their income is further drained because they need to pay into a medical aid scheme which costs around £340 a month. Mr
March said: “Due to my age and financial situation I am unable to afford to return to the UK to enjoy the fruits I thought I would enjoy when I retired 23 years ago aged 65.
“Instead, my wife and I will have to carry on suffering the consequences of living a substandard life.”
A Department for Work and Pensions spokesman said: “The Government’s policy on the up-rating of the state pension for recipients living overseas is a long-standing one of more than 70 years. We continue to up-rate state pensions overseas where there is a legal requirement to do so.” The Sunday Express has often highlighted the issue of frozen pensions. A spokesman for the End Frozen Pensions campaign said: “Every frozen pensioner deserves more than a stock answer from the DWP and must be considered as more than just a number on a spreadsheet.this case exemplifies the human cost of this policy which must end, to provide the dignity in retirement our pensioners paid for, expect and deserve.”