Asked by: Lord Jones of Cheltenham (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the request on 16 December 2020 by members of the Canadian Parliament to establish a reciprocal agreement on the uprating of pensions for UK state pension holders residing in Canada.
Answered by Baroness Stedman-Scott
A request has been received from the Government of Canada and, as indicated in my previous answer on 10 March 2021, the Government intends to respond to this letter in due course.
Asked by: Lord Jones of Cheltenham (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty's Government when reciprocal social security arrangements were made with (1) Bermuda, and (2) Gibraltar, whereby UK state pension holders resident in those territories receive the annual uprating of their state pensions.
Answered by Baroness Stedman-Scott
The UK entered into a reciprocal social security agreement with Bermuda in 1969 and with Gibraltar in 1974.
Asked by: Lord Jones of Cheltenham (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of progress on implementing the request by the governments of British Overseas Territories during the December 2015 Overseas Territories Joint Ministerial Council on the uprating of pensions for UK state pension holders residing in those territories.
Answered by Baroness Stedman-Scott
The policy on up-rating UK State Pensions overseas is longstanding and has been supported by successive Governments for over 70 years. Annual index-linked increases are paid to UK State Pension recipients where there is a legal requirement to do so, for example where recipients are living in countries where there is a reciprocal agreement that provides for up-rating.
This Government continues to take the view that priority should be given to those living in Great Britain when drawing up expenditure plans for additional pensioner benefits.
Asked by: Lord Jones of Cheltenham (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the annual cost of uprating the state pensions of all citizens of British Overseas Territories that (1) have reciprocal agreements with the UK on state pensions, and (2) do not have such agreements.
Answered by Baroness Stedman-Scott
The estimated annual cost of up-rating state pensions is calculated at UK level.
The department has not made an estimate.
Asked by: Lord Jones of Cheltenham (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many citizens resident in each of the British Overseas Territories that has a reciprocal agreement on state pensions with the UK qualify for an annual uprating of their pensions.
Answered by Baroness Stedman-Scott
The UK has reciprocal agreements with Bermuda and Gibraltar that cover state pensions.
Territory | Number of UK state pension recipients |
Bermuda | 716 |
Gibraltar | 1,770 |
Source: StatXplore, August 2020
Asked by: Lord Jones of Cheltenham (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Stedman-Scott on 10 March (HL13814), what action does a British Overseas Territory without a reciprocal agreement on state pensions need to take to open negotiations on securing such an agreement.
Answered by Baroness Stedman-Scott
The Government has not received any recent representations for reciprocal social security agreements from British Overseas Territories without such an agreement.
Asked by: Lord Jones of Cheltenham (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty's Government when they expect to respond to the request from the government of Canada for a reciprocal agreement on state pensions.
Answered by Baroness Stedman-Scott
The Department for Work and Pensions plans to respond to the request from Canada in due course.
Asked by: Lord Jones of Cheltenham (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty's Government why reciprocal agreements on state pensions are in place for some but not all of the British Overseas Territories; and when they plan to have agreements in place for all.
Answered by Baroness Stedman-Scott
The UK has reciprocal social security agreements covering state pensions with two British Overseas Territories – Bermuda and Gibraltar.
The distribution of existing agreements with British Overseas Territories were based on a number of factors considered at the time those agreements were concluded.
Asked by: Lord Jones of Cheltenham (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their response to the government of Canada's request for a reciprocal social security agreement covering the uprating of pensions.
Answered by Baroness Stedman-Scott
The Department for Work and Pensions plans to respond shortly on this issue.
Asked by: Lord Jones of Cheltenham (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to reports of ‘long’ COVID-19, what plans they have to make changes to statutory sick pay.
Answered by Baroness Stedman-Scott
This government has a strong safety net that helps people who are facing hardship and are unable to support themselves financially and we have taken steps to strengthen that safety net as part of the government’s response to the pandemic.
Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) provides a minimum level of income for employees when they are sick or incapable of work. Employers are legally required to pay SSP to eligible employees who are off work sick or incapable of work, where employees meet the qualifying conditions. Some employers may also decide to pay more, and for longer, through Occupational Sick Pay.
To receive SSP employees must tell their employer that they are off sick before the deadline the employer has set (or within 7 days if they have not set one). Individuals can self-certify for the first 7 days of an absence, without the need to provide their employer with any medical evidence. Where an employee cannot work for 7 or more days’ employers can request medical evidence of their employee’s sickness.
SSP is payable for up to 28 weeks per sickness absence. Sickness absences which are less than 8 weeks apart count as the same period of sickness. In a new period of sickness, employees are eligible for 28 weeks of SSP. As such, where individuals remain sick or incapable of work as a result of coronavirus, they will be eligible for SSP, subject to the usual qualifying conditions.
For those who are sick, self-isolating or shielding due to coronavirus, SSP is now payable from the first day of work missed, rather than the fourth
SSP is just one part of our welfare safety net and our wider government offer to support people in times of need. Where an individual’s income is reduced while off work sick and they require further financial support, for example where they are not eligible for SSP, they may be able to claim Universal Credit and new style Employment and Support Allowance, depending on their personal circumstances.