We are a non-profit, volunteer organization with two main objectives. 

1. We offer our members assistance, support and information to help them understand and claim the UK state pension they are entitled to, for which they paid into when working in the UK.

2. We act as a lobby and pressure group to persuade the UK government to stop the discriminatory practice of freezing UK pensions based on where you live in retirement.

The pension you receive at state pensionable age remains at the same amount for the duration of your retirement, whether it be 10 – 30 years or more, or for as long as you live in Canada or another frozen pension country. There is no annual increase, ever. 

Of the UK’s 12 million pensioners, around 1 million live overseas. About 600,000 receive annual increases, while over 400,000 have their pensions frozen.

The top five countries where frozen pensioners reside include: Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and Japan.

Yes—you may be eligible. We recommend joining as a member to access full guidance, or attending one of our webinars where the process is explained. Follow us on Facebook and X for upcoming sessions or contact our office by email.

As a member we’ll provide all the information on how to claim your state pension. 

When in opposition, politicians from all major UK parties have often supported ending frozen pensions. Once in government, support has historically declined.

The UK Government continues to justify the policy based on:

1. Projected cost

2. The absence of reciprocal social security agreements

3. Long standing policy of successive governments (70 years)

CABP disputes all arguments.

1. Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) FOI2025/108208 confirms that uprating for all UK Pensioners in Canada for 2027/28 would cost £13 million. For all frozen pensioners worldwide the costs would be £38 million not the £930 million stated on the DWP website.

2. In 2013 DWP response FOI 595/2013 confirmed that reciprocal agreements are not legally required in order to uprate pensions.

3. After waiting 70 years it is time for an outdated and discriminatory policy to be changed to meet the global standards of all other OECD countries who uprate their pensioners annually no matter where they live. 

As a result, UK pensioners who made the same National Insurance contributions receive different pensions solely because of where they choose to retire.

Yes. In 2005, a legal challenge led by South African pensioner Annette Carson was supported by pensioner organizations in South Africa, Canada (including CABP), and Australia. The case argued that the UK’s frozen pension policy was discriminatory.

The case progressed through the UK courts to the House of Lords (now the UK Supreme Court), which ruled in favour of the UK Government in 2008, stating that the courts should not override government policy.

The case then moved to the European Court of Human Rights. In 2010, the Grand Chamber heard the appeal involving 15 litigants from around the world, including several CABP members. The Court again ruled in favour of the UK Government, although six judges dissented.

The Court concluded that UK pensioners living in countries with reciprocal uprating agreements and those living in countries without such agreements could legally be treated differently. The court stated this is political, not a judicial matter.

Further legal action has been considered, but litigation is extremely costly. In addition, the UK Government has historically refused to engage with frozen pension organizations while court action is underway.

More information is available on the Wikipedia page for Carson and Others v United Kingdom.

The policy can be changed in several ways:

1. Through Secondary Legislation

Each year, pensions are briefly uprated before annual regulations re-freeze them for affected overseas pensioners. These regulations pass automatically through secondary legislation and are rarely debated by MPs.

CABP continues to raise awareness of this process. However, the regulations are bundled with popular measures such as increases to Carer’s Allowance, making political opposition unlikely unless the issues are separated.

2. Through a Vote in the UK Parliament

The UK Parliament could end frozen pensions through primary legislation if the issue were debated and MPs were allowed a free vote.

3. Through an Amendment to the Canada–UK Social Security Agreement

The UK Government has acknowledged that a reciprocal agreement is not legally required to uprate pensions.

Canada and the UK already have a social security agreement, which could be amended to include pension indexation, as exists with other countries.

This is why continued lobbying of both UK and Canadian politicians remains important.