Pensions: British Citizens Overseas

Debate between Baroness Altmann and Baroness Hooper

Wednesday 24th February 2016 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Altmann]

My Lords, the Department for Work and Pensions has not made any estimates of the costs of this uprating. External sources have suggested that the costs of partial uprating are estimated at around £200 million a year by 2020.

[Baroness Hooper (Con)]

My Lords, can my noble friend tell us what will happen to the some 400,000 pensioners living in European Union countries should the UK vote to leave the European Union? Will their pensions be frozen, either partially or totally?

[Baroness Altmann]

The issue of what will happen if this country leaves the European Union has not yet been decided, but if there are reciprocal agreements and legal obligations to uprate, pensions will be uprated.