We have unprecedented opportunities to influence change for Pre-97 pension justice right now. HPPA & the Pre-97 Alliance needs you to write another letter with copies to others (listed below) to your MP ASAP please.
It is essential that you personalise the letter as there are filters used to identify and set aside “form letters”.
We have to deliver, via a significant volume of letters, that this injustice matters to many people and can no longer be ignored. So please write today!
If these instructions are not clear, please contact Patricia@hppa.org.uk.
To help support our campaign and generate interest in our Pre-97 Pension Justice Campaign event at the House of Lords on 28 October, please “cut & paste” & personalize the letter below and send it to
1. your MP
AND
2. COPY
- Minister Torsten Bell, ministers@dwp.gov.uk
- Torsten Bell at his constituency address, torsten.bell.mp@parliament.uk
- Lord Bryn Davies, daviesofbrixton@parliament.uk
- Patricia@hppa.org.uk
Suggestions for personalisation –
Add a few lines about how the lack of discretionary increases effects you
Example 1 – I have been drawing my pension for 10 years. During that time inflation has been more than 36% while my pension has had a single increase of 3%. I have lost (estimate your lost pension).
For Your Reference: Digital/HPE discretionary increases since 2002- 1% in 2004, 1% 2008, 3% in 2022
Example 2 – Despite documented promises of financial security in retirement from Digital and the documented promises of “No change to your benefits” made when the Digital Plan merged with the HP Plan in 2006, the value of my pension has declined substantially. I am struggling to manage with rising costs and an income that loses value every year with no hope for change. I am not able to help family and friends. I have no flexibility to enjoy retirement. I am disappointed and angry that the over time successive governments have allowed this to happen to Pre-97 pensioners.
Example 3 – I often worry about what will happen to my spouse/partner when I pass away. My pension, which has already been devalued, will be worth very little. My spouse/partner will not be able to afford to live in our home; despite the pension I worked so hard to obtain.
CONTENT OF LETTER
Dear (insert name of MP, Minister, Secretary of State, and Patricia)
My name is _______________________
And my address is __________________
I am a pre-97 pensioner from HPE (or YOUR COMPANY), and I am seeking your help. The current Pensions Scheme Bill 2025 does not and will not help me as a Pre-97 pensioner. Successive governments have ignored the injustice allowed by Pension Act 1995. I want you to help change that please.
Please read this letter and do whatever you can to support our campaign for Pre-97 Pension Justice. FYI – Lord Bryn Davies will be sponsoring an informal event on Tuesday 28 October 2025 from 5 to 6.30 pm in Committee Room 4, Palace of Westminster, to speak face-to-face with pensioners from around the UK.
What’s this Pre-97 Pension Justice Campaign All About?
Imagine that your income has not changed in more than 20 years. You probably are not aware that there could be as many as 750,000 people affected but the data is not confirmed.
The root cause is the Pension Act 1995 and the lack of requirement for pension indexation for service before 1997. The 1995 Act allows the discrimination against pensioners with service accrued before 1997. Most schemes do not discriminate but some do as we are well aware. And of course it’s legal.
There are many ways to make the case using complicated statistics or personal impact statements, but the table below presents all the evidence required to understand the need for this campaign. The table is based on the reality endured by more than 50,000 Alliance pensioners in the defined benefits (DB) schemes across the UK for many years. The table also gives lie to the Pension Minister’s assertion that discretionary increases are a matter between companies and trustees.
| Years without increase since 2002 | |
| Wood Group | 23 years |
| Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) | 22 years |
| STMicroelectronics | 21 years |
| Atos/Sema | 20 years |
| American Express | 19 years |
| AIG | 18 years |
| Pfizer | 16 years |
| 3M | 16 years |
| Chevron | 13 years |
| NCR Scotland | 11 years from 2012 |
| Lloyds Register | 9 years from 2016 |
The relevant changes contained in the proposed legislation (Bill 255) offer little hope of any rectification as they primarily rely on the trustee and sponsoring company to transform their well-established respective behaviour.
Leaders of the Pre-97 Alliance do not support the Bill 255 as an effective means of delivering Pre-97 pension justice. Promises of future change via guidance, which is not legally binding, and a reactivated Pension Commission offer no assurance to pensioners in their twilight years.
Leaders of the Pre-97 Alliance do support an amendment which is being drafted.
It is a reasonable expectation of citizens that the government listens to their legitimate concerns and does not ignore injustice. Yet, our assessment of the many letters received by our members and announcements by Government ministers stretching back over more than 20 years demonstrate that the system continues to powerfully resist change and maintains the status quo that unjustly discriminates against a substantial number of Pre-97 pensioners.
Instead of repeating the arguments against change since 1995, would the government join us in making positive changes for the Pre-97 pensioners left behind? After all, there is no cost to government, and the economy will be boosted by the spend of pensioners and additional tax revenue generated.
Please support our campaign and the amendment to Pension Act 1995 to allow pension justice to prevail for Pre-97 pensioners by urging the Pensions Minister to look at the matter more sympathetically.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/pre97hppapensionjustice
https://www.youtube.com/@Pre-97PensionJustice
Sincerely,
Insert your name _________________
And address again please
