Recognise the UK State Pension as an Entitlement, Not a Benefit

Background

We ask that the Government change its language to reflect that the State Pension is an entitlement earned through contributions—not a welfare benefit. The UK must follow the example of its European neighbours and treat the State Pension as the earned right it truly is.

Additional details

Millions of UK citizens have contributed to National Insurance throughout their working lives with the clear understanding that they were paying into a system that would support them in retirement—and deliver a fair, secure income they could rely on. The State Pension is not a handout. It is a contractual promise, based on years of contributions. Treating it as a “benefit” implies that pensioners are receiving something for nothing, which is insulting and unjust. It undermines their dignity and decades of hard work.