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

Anne Puckridge, 99, worked as a technology lecturer until she retired at 60 and moved to Calgary, Canada aged 76, in 2001.

She says she was not aware it would mean her pension amount would be frozen at £72.50 a week the amount it was when she left the UK.

Since then she has missed out on approximately £47,673 because of the 'frozen pensions' policy, which affects British citizens who retire to certain countries.

Under this system, payments are fixed - and OAPs don't get the annual inflationary increases pensioners in the UK get under the triple lock rules.

If Anne, a WW2 vet, had stayed in the UK, she would be entitled to £169.50 a week - £97 more than she gets now - and £221.20 in April 2025.

Anne, who paid taxes for more than 50 years, is now petitioning to change the rules - and coming over to demand a meeting with PM Keir Starmer before she turns 100.

Expats in countries including Australia, Thailand, New Zealand and South Africa also face 'frozen' pensions.

Reports earlier this year said around 453,000 UK pensioners are impacted - receiving £4,900 less a year each than retirees who remain in the UK.

Anne, who served in WW2 in the Army, Navy and RAF for four years, said: "At retirement if you leave the UK, you deserve to be treated on the same terms as anyone who stays.

"I was never warned my pension would be frozen; they said I was, but I wasn't.

"I have to be so careful how I spend my money - I can barely afford to buy clothes and I can never go on holidays.

"People on frozen pensions have had their dignity removed and there is no quality of life.

"If I were just over the border in America, I'd be on a full pension now. It's just discrimination.

"I want to get the British government to open their eyes and realise the extent of the cruelty of this policy."

Anne served in India in WW2 until the end of the war, joining aged 17 in 1942 after telling them she was 18, because she wanted to fight for her country.

After that she lived in Aberdeen, Scotland, and raised three children, before moving to Stroud, Gloucestershire.

When her children grew up she went back to work full-time as a college lecturer in technology, after taking night classes to learn the skills she needed.

At 60 she dropped to part-time work but didn't retire for good until she was 76, when she packed up and moved to Canada.

Under triple lock, retirees see payments rise over time - even if they move to any of a large number of other countries.

But because a select few countries including Canada, Australia and New Zealand, don't have a reciprocal agreement in place with Britain, retirees moving to those nations don't see pension increases.

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

"When I finally found out why, I was so sure it was a mistake. I was so sure there was no way such a bad policy could continue.

"But I was told it's a long-standing policy and there are no plans to make changes.

"Now I'm 99 and I'm still fighting for it - and living with the frustration, disappointment and disgust."

Anne's daughter, Gill Mittins, 71, is now claiming a pension of her own, and feels unable to leave her home in Falkirk, Scotland to retire in a warmer climate, as she'd have to sacrifice her pension increases as a result of the same policy.

Gill launched a petition on behalf of Anne, demanding Keir Starmer meet with Anne next time she returns to the UK - so she can plead the case for herself.

Gill said: "It's just plain wrong and discriminatory in the extreme.

"All the war veterans like mum, they fought for the country and never expected to treated like this. It's shabby treatment."

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

Gill and Anne have the support of official campaign End Frozen Pensions.

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

"She should not be having to make this journey because of an outdated policy that does so little to save the Government money yet does so much harm to so many."

Anne's petition: