Asked by: Faisal Rashid (Labour - Warrington South)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 23 January 2018 to Question 123025, if she will revoke regulation 3 of the Social Security Benefits Up-rating Regulations 2017.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The policy on up-rating UK state pensions overseas is a long-standing policy of successive Governments. UK State Pensions are payable worldwide without regard to nationality to those people who meet the eligibility criteria and are up-rated for recipients resident abroad where there is a legal requirement to do so. The Government has no plans to change this policy.
Asked by: Faisal Rashid (Labour - Warrington South)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the Government plans to match the funding provided by the European Social Fund after the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by Alok Sharma - COP26 President (Cabinet Office)
The Government’s 2017 election manifesto committed to create a new UK Shared Prosperity Fund to reduce inequalities between communities across the UK. The design of this new fund is currently being considered, including its funding arrangements, and further details will be set out in due course.
Asked by: Faisal Rashid (Labour - Warrington South)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 23 October 2017 to Question 108399, whether there are any factors legally preventing her from granting up-rated state pensions to all overseas UK pensioners regardless of whether the UK has a reciprocal agreement with their country of residence.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Social Security Benefits Up-rating Regulations restrict for overseas residents the annual increases in certain benefits, including state pensions. This continues the long-standing policy of not up-rating the state pension in payment to people who are overseas residents, except where there is a legal requirement to up-rate for example the European Union Co-ordination Regulations and Reciprocal Agreements that allow for up-rating.