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.

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.