State pensioner has payments 'frozen' at £72 due to 'unthinkable' DWP rule

A World War II veteran has been cruelly FROZEN OUT of a state pension - because of where she lives. The Department for Work and Pensions ( DWP ) state pension rules mean the veteran, aged 99, is one of 450,000 frozen out as her pension is just £72.50 a week.

Anne Puckridge, 99, is one of 450,000 UK state pensioners whose pension has been frozen at the level it was when they left the UK. The WWII vet moved to Canada in 2001, to be closer to loved ones, and fumed : "I simply wish to outline to the Prime Minister that we unfairly suffer through no fault of our own. At my age, I have not made the decision to travel such a great distance back to the UK lightly."

She said "My request to the Prime Minister, that he meet with me, is not for my personal benefit, but is a request made on behalf of more than 450,000 'frozen' pensioners around the world suffering as much, and in many cases far more, than me. Once so very proud of being British, I now feel ashamed of my country."

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Dame Joanna Lumley has thrown her support behind Anne's case, saying: "Times may be tough and challenging. But I urge the powers that be to be mindful that many of those affected by this cruel policy served Britain through even tougher times.

"I think swathes of the country will find it simply unthinkable that brave men and women such as Anne should be treated this way. Some of the affected pensioners, like her, served our country in its most perilous days.

"They did right by the country, so surely the country should now do right by them. I urge the Prime Minister to move mountains in his no doubt crowded diary to find a precious few minutes to meet Anne when she makes her epic trip to the UK in December."

Tonia Antoniazzi, Labour MP for Gower, said: "The more I hear about this policy the more indefensible it becomes. For decades now, successive governments have hidden behind figures from the DWP (Department for Work and Pensions) suggesting that righting this great wrong would cost billions. That is simply not the case.

"The pensioners are only asking for uprating from this point going forward. Campaigners estimate that uprating on such a going forward basis would cost about £50 million in the first year, a tiny proportion of the overall pensions budget.

"In Treasury terms, that's a small price to pay to address such a great and long-standing injustice that's hit generations of pensioners. In all conscience, how can any of us look someone like Anne Puckridge in the eye and not feel that she deserves better."