Thousands of pensioners to get extra £100 a week in Christmas boost | UK | News

Thousands of former mine workers will be given a lump sum pension increase of an average of £5,500 and £100 a week just days before Christmas, under a major overhaul. The payment follows the release of the government reserve fund, which will transfer £2.3 billion held since 1994 to members of the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme (BCSSS). The increase will hit the pockets of former mineworkers today, Tuesday, December 23, and the lump sum will be based on backdated payments until November 2024, when a similar increase is implemented in the Mineworkers’ Pension Scheme.

This represents a 41% increase in pension benefits for 38,425 members, including former mine workers and engineers, administrators, managers and canteen workers who have worked in non-mining roles in mines across the UK. Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said the payments would give eligible people “the retirement they deserve” and relieve financial pressure two days before Christmas.

“I want to pay my respects to all the mineworkers and all the campaigners who have worked to end decades of injustice,” he added.

BCSSS, one of the UK’s largest occupational pension schemes, was closed in 1994 following the privatization of the coal industry.

Former miner Stuart Porthouse, from County Durham, said: ITV: “We are fighting for recognition and recognition.

“And there was relief in the end, because we lost a lot of our members last year. They left, but fortunately the government agreed to give them back their properties, which is a good thing.”

Cheryl Agius, chair of trustees of the British Coal Employees’ Pension Scheme, said it was a “historic moment”.

“This… is the culmination of a year of determination, advocacy and collaboration and is a turning point for the plan,” he continued.

“The government has listened to trustees, scheme members and Coalfield MPs who support this issue and agreed to transfer the scheme’s investment reserve to members.

“Being able to make the first bonus pension increase today puts BCSSS members on par with their former colleagues on the Mineworkers Superannuation Scheme (MPS), who received their investment reserves in November last year.”