More about OSPA

OSPA’s primary objects have been to represent, safeguard and promote the interests of its members in all matters relating to their pensions.  In the 1960s its efforts resulted in HMG agreeing to pay inflation-linked increases to the basic colonial pensions (including widows’ pensions) through SPOS (Supplementary Pension for Overseas Service), and subsequently to take over from the new independent governments the payment of the basic pensions so that they are now paid from British Government funds.  Without those measures almost all the pensions would have become worthless.  OSPA negotiated the grant of War Service Credit to qualifying HMOCS personnel, and improvements for pensioners of the former Central African Federation.  OSPA has also secured substantial arrears of pensions or SPOS for some individual pensioners.

  OSPA's current Functions and Activities
General  

Serves as the focal point for HMOCS (and other) officers and widows who belong to an organised body of colleagues having unique shared experiences and background, understanding the special nature of service in the colonial territories, and capable of representing their common interests and expressing their views when necessary.

Acts as a guardian, as far as resources permit, of the good name and reputation of HMOCS and its antecedents.

Promotes wider knowledge of all aspects of Colonial Service life and times, through publications, seminars and contacts with academic institutions, libraries, museums etc.

Serves as an enquiry point about the Colonial Service, with members willing to respond to requests for information or comment.

Publishes the Overseas Pensioner, the biannual journal issued free to members, covering general Colonial Service topics, with memoirs, articles, book reviews, letters, pensions news, social reunions and meetings, obituary notices.

Provides (to members only) address lists of OSPA members by service territory, UK town or county of residence or country of residence overseas.  These are also available to members on the website by password-protected access.  Also details of other territorial and functional groups, societies, reunion clubs etc., which welcome Overseas Service members.

Pensions

Liaises with the Overseas Pensions Department of the Department for International Development (DFID), and with the Crown Agents Bank (Pension Services), which between them authorise or pay the pensions to almost all members.  As the recognised body representing the pensioners, it is ready to help in case of change or difficulty relating to either of these paying agencies.

Has membership of the Public Service Pensioners’ Council (PSPC), covering about 30 pensioners’ associations representing some 2 million pensioners.  The Council seeks to protect the interests of British Public Service pensioners generally (see the PSPC website via our links page for further details of its activities).  A current campaign is to change the British Government's present policy that from April 2011 the annual indexation of public sector pensions (and of SPOS) should be determined by reference to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) instead of the Retail Price Index (RPI) as has been the case until now.  It is argued that the change to the CPI should be only temporary, for the next 2 or 3 years, not permanent.  OSPA also supports the efforts by the International Consortium of British Pensioners (ICBP) to end the British Government's policy of denying annual increases to the UK State Retirement Pension for people (including Overseas Service pensioners) who have chosen to live in certain countries overseas like Australia and South Africa.

Negotiates with HMG on current pensions issues, such as those relating to Southern Rhodesia/Zimbabwe, and the former Central African Federation, which have their own different pension arrangements.

Gives advice and assistance to members about many matters relating to pensions and associated retirement problems including the British State Retirement Pension and back-payment of National Insurance contributions out of time, Colonial Widows’ and Orphans Pensions, “Over 80” pension for UK residents, UK Income Tax, entitlement to Foreign Pensions Allowance.

OSPA has been advising members about their possible eligibility to be allowed to make back-payments of British National Insurance contributions in order to qualify for an increase in the State Retirement Pension.  This applies in certain cases where an officer – or his widow – can satisfy the official authorities that he had not known that he could have paid voluntary National Insurance contributions while serving overseas, and so consequently he is receiving a reduced pension.  This mainly applies to officers who had taken up their overseas appointment by or before 1948.  There have been a number of successful applications.

OSPA itself does not pay the pensions.

Social

Arranges social gatherings of members, at an annual Reunion in London and smaller groups in some other areas, while also encouraging territorial and professional groups to maintain their own meetings and other get-togethers.

To see the events in 2012 click here.

Allows preferential rates for membership of:

              The Royal Over-Seas League;

              The Royal Commonwealth Society Club.

Benevolent Society

OSPA members are the members of the Society, providing its primary donors and identifying beneficiary cases needing assistance.  For more information click here.