Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what consideration has he given to broadening the scope of countries where the UK state pension receives an annual increase.

UK State Pensions are payable worldwide, without regard to nationality and are only uprated abroad where we have a legal requirement to do so, for example in countries with which we have a reciprocal agreement that provides for uprating.

This approach has been supported by successive governments over many years with priority given to those living in the UK when drawing up expenditure plans for additional pensioner benefits.