"However, Thailand’s advocacy group for ending frozen UK pensions argues that the issue of fraud is minor. A representative claimed that the primary issues are DWP processing errors and the discriminatory policy denying pension increases to expats based on location.
Neither the previous Conservative nor the current Labour government has addressed these concerns."
I get a monthly pension from my ex employer, and get an annual increment in line with or above inflation, but they aren't bothered where I live, and even actively encourage pensioners to "widen their horizons".
On the other hand, the British Government (Tories and Labour) continually sweep this "discriminatory policy" under the carpet, and seem more intent on looking after illegal immigrants and spending BILLIONS every year on foreign aid, ("In 2023, the UK spent $19.11 billion on Official Development Assistance (ODA), which includes domestic spending on refugee programs") than looking after their own "home grown" citizens who have spent their entire working lives in the UK.
"The cost of unfreezing UK state pensions for expats is estimated to be in the billions of pounds:2023/24: £860 million"
So, to recap, the cost of foreign aid costs the UK $19.11 BILLION PER YEAR, (Plus the cost of housing legal and illegal immigrants which is also in the BILLIONS of pounds per year i.e."The UK spent £15.374 BILLION on asylum seekers and refugees in 2023, which was 0.58% of the UK's gross national income (GNI). This was an increase of 16.4% from 2022. The UK's aid budget for 2023 was £15.4 billion, which was £2.6 billion more than the previous year.")
Whereas the cost of unfreezing pensions for expats would be £860 MILLION PER YEAR.
Doesn't seem fair does it? Especially as additionally, those expats are saving the UK economy millions of pounds every year through not having free medical treatment on the NHS, or other benefits?
(And I have already heard the arguments that "We should have thought of frozen pensions before retiring to whichever country we chose", or, "It's not our money - it's the current taxpayers that would be paying for the increments".)