To some members of the government and elements of the media, the state pension seems to be endlessly controversial.

Already proportionately one of the lowest state pensions paid in the world, the government decided not to honour the triple lock protection this year, with rumours circulating that it might not be honoured next year or indeed that the whole agreement might be amended or scrapped.

We will know more after the autumn statement on 17 November, the proposals of which are likely to be financially savage.

Using the letter produced by the National Pensioners Convention (to whom we are affiliated), the Retired Members Committee has written to our respective MPs requesting they oppose any efforts by the government to interfere with the triple lock protection on state pensions. You can read our letter here. It might be that you would wish to do the same.

Chris O’Neill

Chair, Hampshire Unison Retired Members Section

7 November 2022