Labour Government ends the injustice of the Mineworkers’ Pension Scheme and transfers Investment Reserve to miners and their families
 
Historic injustice reversed as 247 mineworkers and their families in Gower finally have the Investment Reserve from their pension scheme transferred to them, boosting their pensions by an average of 32 per cent.

Labour delivers longstanding campaign ask from ex-pit workers, alongside new review to also ensure mineworkers receive a fair pension for years to come.

Energy Secretary pays tribute to the “mineworkers who powered our country” and the campaigners who fought for justice over many years 247 former mineworkers in Gower will receive an immediate uplift in their weekly pension, overturning an historic injustice and ensuring fair payouts for years to come.

Following the announcement in Wednesday’s Budget, Energy Secretary Ed Miliband confirmed that the move will mean a 32 per cent boost to the annual pensions of 112,000 former mineworkers across the UK – an average increase of £29 per week for each member.

Tonia Antoniazzi, local MP for Gower welcomed the announcement, saying:

“It is a national scandal that former miners in Gower have had to fight for so long for the pension settlement they deserve.

“Today, Labour ends this injustice and delivers what is rightfully owed back to mining families.

“This is a victory for the relentless campaigning of the trustees, members, and coalfield communities here in Gower.”

The investment reserve fund was set up using profits from the scheme in 1992, to provide a buffer in case the Mineworkers’ Pension Scheme went into deficit. This money was due to be returned to government in 2029.  

Former mineworkers and their families have fought for justice for many years. In a landmark decision, the fund - now worth £1.5 billion – will be handed over to the pension scheme, ensuring former pit workers who powered the country for decades finally get the just rewards from their labour.

When British Coal was privatised in 1994, the government also agreed to take half of any profits generated by the pension scheme, in return for a guarantee that pensions would increase in line with inflation.

The scheme has continued to produce strong returns and the government has never paid any funds into it. Therefore, the government is also delivering on its commitment to review this agreement to ensure former miners and their families get a fairer deal in the years ahead, with next steps set out in the coming months. The trustees are responsible for deciding how the £1.5 billion fund is distributed amongst their 112,000 members and are now working at speed to deliver the bonus into pension pay packets from November this year.

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said:

“We owe the mining communities who powered this country a debt of gratitude.
For decades, it has been a scandal that the government has taken money that could have been passed to the miners and their families.

Today, that scandal ends, and the money is rightfully transferred to the miners. I pay tribute to the campaigners who have fought for justice- today is their victory.”

Chris Kitchen, General Secretary of the NUM said:

“The Labour Party recognised the injustice of the Mineworkers’ Pension Scheme whilst in opposition. Now in Government they have made good on their manifesto commitment to return the Investment Reserve Fund so it can be used to increase pensions.
“This is the change we voted for.”
 
Ends
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The government has had to make some difficult decisions to fix the foundations of the economy due to the dire state of the public finances. The Winter Fuel Payment is set to be means-tested and delivered to those on Pension Credit to ensure it is targeted towards those in most need.

Pensioners whose weekly income is below £218.15 for a single person or £332.95 for a couple should check to see if they are eligible for this support which is worth £3,900 a year on average, using DWP’s online calculator: Pension Credit calculator - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)


Applications for Pension Credit can be made:  

• On the How to Claim page  
• Over the phone by calling 0800 99 1234 (Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm)  
• By printing out and filling in a paper application form 

For more information visit the Pension Credit GOV.UK page.

Pensioners need to be entitled to Pension Credit for at least one day in week September 16 to 22 to be eligible for a Winter Fuel Payment for this winter.

When making an application, other factors will be taken into account, such as whether you claim other benefits (for example, attendance allowance) or if you have high housing costs.

21 December is the last date for backdating a claim for Pension Credit to 22 September, assuming the claimant met the Pension Credit entitlement conditions throughout the previous three months.

I will endeavour to work with the Government and Local Authorities to ensure that the 800,000 pensioners who qualify for Pension Credit but have not applied for it do so.

I will be holding a Pension Credit surgery on Friday 22nd November at Gorseinon Library. It will take place between 2PM and 4PM. I will be joined by Citizens Advice, DWP representatives and Swansea Council's Welfare Rights team, who will be on hand to offer advice and assistance. Please contact my office if you wish to come.

In the meantime, if you need me to look at your specific case to see how I can support, please contact my office and make an appointment for a phone consultation.

Support available
Discretionary Assistance Fund (DAF) | GOV.WALES
Help with your energy bills: If you're on benefits or have a low income - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Get help with energy efficiency in your home from Nest | GOV.WALES
Help with fuel and energy costs and other household bills - Swansea
Tackling Fuel Poverty in Wales Together - Warm Wales
​Advicelink Cymru - Citizens Advice

Petitions are one of the easiest ways to get involved in Parliament. Here's how:

Tonia Antoniazzi, Member of Parliament for Gower, has called on the UK Government to take action to protect businesses and consumers amid rising rates of shoplifting.

According to data released in February by the British Retail Consortium (BRC), the trade body representing retail businesses in the UK, incidents of customer theft have risen to a record 16.7 million, up from 8 million the previous year. The BRC estimates the cost to retailers last year of this shoplifting epidemic was £1.8bn, up from £950mn and the highest amount on record.

The impact on shop workers has been clear with incidents of violence and abuse of shop workers soaring by 50% over the past year. The BRC estimates a staggering 1,300 incidents each day last year of racial abuse, sexual harassment, physical assaults, and threats with weapons.

Tonia Antoniazzi spoke to local shop workers and owners in Gorseinon to discuss their experiences and concerns on the frontline of this surge in shoplifting and violence.

Tonia backed plans to tackle soaring rates of shop lifting by reversing the decision by the Conservative Government in the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 to downgrade the police response to the theft of items worth less than £200.

Under the 2014 Act, any incidents involving goods below £200 would have to be tried as “summary only offences.” This has led to many defendants being able to plead guilty by post and pay a small fine - thereby avoiding a court appearance.

In practice, it has acted as a signal to the police to deprioritise any enforcement for shoplifting of goods below £200 at all – even in cases of repeat and organised shoplifting - with arrests for theft offences falling from 136,000 in 2018 to just 78,000 in 2022.

Tonia Antoniazzi, Labour MP for Gower said:

“Too many communities and high streets are being blighted by staggering increases in shoplifting, up 30 per cent in the last year alone. Since 2010, the Conservative government has decimated neighbourhood policing, leaving our town centres unprotected, and introduced a rule meaning that shoplifting of goods under £200 isn’t being investigated. This Tory ‘Shoplifter’s Charter’ has left local businesses and retail workers at the mercy of criminals.

"Enough is enough. Labour called for tougher action on criminals who assault shop-workers and only in the past month did the Government finally act. The Tories should follow Labour’s lead again and remove the £200 rule that is letting shoplifters off the hook.

“Britain cannot afford more damaging decline from the Conservatives on crime and justice. Labour will restore the rule of law on Britain’s high streets and in our town centres.
​
More widely, Labour have pledged to tackle crime across England and Wales by reintroducing neighbourhood policing with 13,000 more police and PCSOs on the streets, including a named officer to lead on tackling anti-social behaviour.