Monday, 24 October 2011

High court showdown on RPI/CPI sleight of hand starts this week

John Hutton, in the Independent Public Service Pensions Commissions Interim Report, stated that the change in indexation from RPI to CPI will reduce the value of public service pension benefits by 15%.

Today’s Independent reports that six unions will tomorrow launch a legal challenge to the Government’s unilateral imposition of the change on the basis that the move ‘was not permitted under social security legislation, and that it reneged on assurances given by successive governments that the RPI would apply’. Unions involved in the action are the FBU, NASUWT, the POA, PCS, UNISON and Unite:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/unions-launch-pensions-legal-challenge-2375095.html

A UNISON briefing ‘the change from RPI to CPI –the implications for members of public service pension schemes’ can be read here: http://www.unison.org.uk/acrobat/19737.pdf