Nearly 500,000 British pensioners living abroad have missed out on full State Pension payments, according to new figures from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). Data shows that around 1.1 million people received the State Pension while residing overseas in August 2025, but approximately 453,000 of these lived in countries without a reciprocal agreement with the UK government.
How the Pension Freeze Works
A reciprocal agreement ensures that if you retire in certain countries, your UK State Pension increases annually in line with the triple lock. This applies to places such as New Zealand, Jersey, and Guernsey. However, for Brits in non-qualifying countries like Canada and Australia, pensions remain frozen at the rate when first claimed, even if the individual paid National Insurance for their entire working life.
Campaign group End Frozen Pensions has long battled the UK government to extend the triple lock to all pensioners abroad. Their survey found that nearly four in 10 affected pensioners had to cut back on essentials like food and medicine. Some recipients reported receiving as little as £20 a week.
Veterans Hit Hard
The group said 86% of expats were unaware of the freeze before moving abroad, and of the 453,000 estimated retirees, more than 60,000 were veterans. One notable case is Anne Puckridge, a 100-year-old World War II veteran who worked until age 76 before moving to Canada to be near family. Last year, she received less than half the amount she would have earned in the UK.
The new full State Pension is worth £241.30 a week after a 4.8% uprating in April 2026, in line with average earnings. Ms Puckridge met Pensions Minister Emma Reynolds in December 2024 after her request to see Sir Keir Starmer was declined due to diary pressures. She described the meeting as leaving her 'bitterly disappointed' and 'disgusted', adding that she believed Ms Reynolds' mind was 'made up before we even started the meeting'.
Government Response
A DWP spokesperson said at the time that it provides 'clear information on how this can impact their finances in retirement' and that the policy of not uprating pensions abroad has been 'longstanding'.
