Money-grabbing Rishi Sunak is set to kick retired miners and their families in the teeth by holding on to billions of pounds that is rightfully theirs.
The Chancellor is on Monday expected to block the return of £1.2billion from the Miners’ Pension Fund reserve, as demanded by MPs.
And the Treasury will continue with plans to take another £1.6billion on top of the £4.4billion it has already pocketed from the fund’s surplus.
That means 124,000 miners will not get the £14 weekly rise they hoped for. Their average pension is £84 a week.
The row dates back to 1994, when British Coal was privatised and ministers agreed the Government would be guarantor for its pension payouts.
Under the deal any surplus was split 50/50 between the Treasury and scheme members – but the fund did better than expected, so far handing the Treasury £4.4billion in extra cash.
In May the Commons Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee recommended that the miners’ fund be returned the £1.2billion and for the Treasury to stop taking any more of its money.
Since that decision around 800 former miners have died.
Carol Thompson, 73, wife of terminally ill ex-miner Roy featured in the Sunday Mirror last month, will lose the £10 extra a week she would otherwise be due when he dies.
Roy, 74, of Thornton-Cleveleys, Lancs, who has pulmonary fibrosis, was yesterday unconscious and having end of-life care.
Carol said: “I’m just glad he doesn’t know about this.”
Charles Chiverton of the mineworkers’ pension campaign said: “Gangsters dressed as politicians are a total disgrace. The arrangements were legalised mugging of an occupational pension scheme.”
Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves has pledged to return the money if Labour comes to power.
Barnsley East Labour MP Stephanie Peacock said: “The Government should not be in the business of profiting from miners’ pensions.”
Ex-Shadow Cabinet Office minister Jon Trickett said there was “real anger in coalfield communities” that men and their families are being “robbed of their right to a proper pension”.
And NUM general secretary Chris Kitchen added: “It’s our communities they’re taking this from.”
A spokesman for the Government said: “Pension scheme members are receiving payments 33% higher than they would have thanks to the Government’s guarantee.”
