Asked by: Kevin Bonavia (Labour - Stevenage)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will widen Bilateral Social Security Agreements including index-linked state pensions for UK nationals abroad with Commonwealth countries.
Answered by Emma Reynolds - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
UK State Pensions are payable worldwide, without regard to nationality.
The policy on the uprating of UK State Pensions paid overseas is a longstanding one.
UK State Pensions are payable worldwide, without regard to nationality, and are only uprated abroad where there is a legal requirement to do so - for example in countries with which we have a reciprocal agreement that provides for up-rating.
There are no plans to widen Bilateral Social Security Agreements to include the uprating of State Pensions paid to recipients abroad.