Abhik Bonnerjee, now 73, moved from India to Glasgow in 1960. He worked in the UK for 38 years, in shipbuilding, steel manufacture and the food industry. He owned an Indian restaurant for 6 years.
Abhik returned to India in 1997 and reached the State Pension retirement age in 2008 when it was paid at £87.30 a week. Having made all the required NI contributions, if Abhik still in the UK today he would get £119.31, 27% more. The decline in his real terms income has left Abhik concerned about losing his home. He now feels he may have to move back to the UK. The situation makes me very, very angry. The government are scaremongering… [The Minister] says it will cost a lot of money but it is only a tiny percentage [of the pensions budget].
“The government should be doing more, especially for Commonwealth countries and MPs can’t explain why they are not”
– Abhik Bonnerjee, 73, India
“Abhik faces the dilemma of returning to the UK, but if he does return, not only will his pension be uprated to the full amount, but he will be able to access health and social care, so, as well as the disruption to this person’s life, there would also be a further cost to the UK Government”.
– Alan Brown, MP, Scottish National Party