UK state pensions

In the 1999 Budget, the Chancellor attracted criticism by announcing an increase in the basic state pension of just 75 pence a week. In fact he was doing no more than following the example set by Chancellors for the past twenty years and raising the basic state pension in line with the general increase in prices. But the low level of inflation meant that the headline increase was very small at a time when many pensioner groups were calling for a real increase in the basic state pension.