169 former mineworkers in Cumbria will receive a significant uplift in their weekly pension, overturning an historic injustice and ensuring fair payouts for years to come.
Following the announcement by the Chancellor in last week’s Budget, Energy Secretary Ed Miliband confirmed that the move will mean a 41% per cent boost to the annual pensions of 40,000 former mineworkers across the UK – an average increase of £100 per week for each member.
The trustees of the scheme are expected to make the first uplifted payments to members before the end of the year, with payments backdated to coincide with when the changes were implemented to the Mineworkers’ Pension Scheme in last autumn’s Budget – a move which gave a £29 per week boost to the pensions of nearly 500 retired miners across Cumbria.
Josh MacAlister, MP for Whitehaven and Workington, where the majority of beneficiaries to the changes live, welcomed the announcement, saying:
“For too long former miners in Cumbria have had to wait for the pension settlement they deserve. I’ve made representations to ministers over the last 16 months as I know have many of my colleagues representing former coalfield communities.
“This Labour government has listened and ended this injustice, delivering what is rightfully owed back to mining families. This is a victory for the relentless campaigning of communities here in Cumbria and across the country.”
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said:
“We owe the mining communities who powered this country a debt of gratitude.
“For far too long the government has failed to deliver justice for former mineworkers and their families.
“I am delighted that we are rightfully transferring the BCSSS investment reserve back to former mineworkers. I pay tribute to the campaigners who have fought for a fair deal – without them this would not have happened.”
Chris Kitchen, General Secretary of the NUM said:
“The NUM welcomes the BCSSS announcement in the Budget and the Labour Government’s recognition that there were two pension Schemes in the mining industry that suffered historic injustice which they have sought to correct.
“The additional pensions this will provide will benefit not just the pensioner but our former mining communities devastated by the closure of our industry.
“A commitment made, a commitment delivered.”
Josh MacAlister MP 