Barry Arnold, who moved to Thailand in 2005 to teach English, hasn’t seen his UK state pension increase by “even a penny” since living there.
The 81-year-old, who lived in Birmingham until he was 59, discovered his pension was “frozen” – something campaigners call a “scandal” and the pensioner describes as being “illogical” and “transparently unfair”.
He receives £145.67 a week from the UK Government, but unlike pensioners living here, the figure hasn’t increased since he started taking it as he retired in Thailand.
Most Commonwealth countries are on the frozen list, including Australia, Canada, South Africa, New Zealand, India, and Thailand.
Pensioners who return to the UK can get their pension uprated to the full amount – which is currently £221.20 a week – but this rate only applies so long as they are in the UK, something Mr Arnold said was “shocking”.
Speaking to The i Paper, he said: “I receive just over £580 a month, an amount which is frozen and has not increased by even a penny since I first started taking it – nearly 16 years ago.
“Financially, I take care to live frugally and am mindful of my budget. Thailand is one of the best places to live in the world for people on a restricted income, but prices nevertheless increase year by year.
“I am particularly wary of rent, hospital, and medical expenses. Every visit to a doctor here costs money and the ever-present worry of serious illness looms in the background.
“The extra cash I would be getting if I was a resident in the UK, or even living in a country like the Philippines which has a reciprocal agreement, would make the world of difference.
“I could travel, and I could go to restaurants – overall, quality of life would be much better.”
More than 450,000 pensioners who retire abroad have their state pension frozen when they leave the UK, according to figures from the End Frozen Pensions campaign.
On average, these pensioners receive just £3,000 a year – £7,000 less than retirees living in the UK.
Mr Arnold added: “The average British citizen would denounce its unfairness if they knew about it. But they don’t know about it, the overwhelming majority, and it has suited successive Governments, desperate for cash, to ignore fair play and maintain the status quo.
“We frozen pensioners are out of sight and out of mind. To read all about how well pensioners back in the UK are being treated because of the triple-lock is really rubbing it in.
“Irrespective of income and individual wealth all pensioners in the UK and favoured countries with a reciprocal agreement pocket these increases and good luck to them.
“If only they knew, the great British public is largely unaware that 450,000 compatriot pensioners living overseas are denied these increases.”
From April next year, the new full state pension will rise by £472 a year under the triple-lock agreement, the Government has confirmed.
The triple lock, which Chancellor Rachel Reeves has confirmed will stay in place until at least the end of this Parliament, ensures the state pension increases by the highest of inflation, earnings growth or 2.5 per cent.
It was introduced by the Conservative-Liberal Democrat Coalition government in 2010, and was designed to ensure the value of the state pension was not overtaken by the increase in the cost of living or the incomes of working people.
Mr Arnold continued: “It’s a sad time for many British citizens right now. Sad victims of so many injustices, us frozen pensioners included.
“We are just in a queue jostling for attention with so many others, that’s the issue. And we’re not even in the country to fight our own corner so we’re easily brushed aside.”
Liz Truss needs to take her own advice, and cease and desist