New calls to increase State Pension payments for half a million older people not due uprating next April

More than Nearly 171,800 people have signed an online petition calling for an end to the practice of ‘freezing’ the State Pension for nearly half a million Brits who have emigrated to countries that do not have a reciprocal agreement with the UK Government - even though they have paid National Insurance Contributions during their working life.

The International Consortium of British Pensioners advocates on behalf of around 450,000 expats affected by ‘frozen pensions’ and is behind the ‘End Frozen Pensions’ campaign, which aims to “end the injustice” for Brits who have moved abroad whose State Pension does not rise in-line with the Triple Lock every April.

The video accompanying the petition highlights how some Britons, who are now resident in Australia, Canada, South Africa, Antigua, Malaysia and Thailand, have seen their State Pension frozen since the point of emigration - despite having worked and lived in the UK for most of their lives.

Retired expats in the European Economic Area (EEA) will continue to receive annual increases to their State Pensions under the Triple Lock, as will those in a host of other countries including the Philippines and Turkey.

However, it is the plight of 99-year-old Second World War veteran, Anne Puckridge, that highlights the stark contrast between someone living in the UK in retirement and those living in certain countries.

Anne lived in the UK until the age of 76 and paid her National Insurance contributions in full. However, when she left the UK for Canada to be closer to her daughter and grandchildren, her State Pension was frozen at £72.50 per week. If she had remained in the UK she would receive the full Basic State Pension, which is currently worth £169.50 each week.

The campaign estimates around 450,000 expats have a frozen State Pension.

The End Frozen Pensions campaign explained: “They moved, often to be near family, to live in one of the countries without a reciprocal agreement to inflation link their State Pension, so their pension is ‘frozen’ at the level it was at when they left the UK.

“Those in countries with reciprocal agreements are unaffected so if you were a pensioner in the USA you would continue to get an