Former Hewlett Packard workers in Berkshire demand pension payments rise with inflation

  • Watch report by ITV Meridian's Juliette Fletcher

Former workers for Hewlett Packard based in Berkshire, say they have lost tens of thousands of pounds - because their pensions have not kept up with inflation.

More than 100 people, many in their 70's and 80's, held a demonstration at the company's Headquarters in Winnersh.

A petition with more than a thousand names was handed into HPE today calling for action.

They are demanding the company change its policy and account for the cost of living increase.

The protestors originally worked for Digital, which was bought out by a company that later merged with Hewlett-Packard.

They split their operation in two in 2015 and Hewlett Packard Enterprises are now responsible for pensions.

The Hewlett Packard Pensioners Association (HPPA) group was formed to try and build a relationship between the company and the pensioners. Credit: ITV News Meridian

The protestors have received three increases to their pensions, which amount to a 5% rise overall, but they say this is not in line with inflation and estimate they have lost around 60% of what they should be receiving.

Secretary of HPPA, Steve Spillane said: "My wife and I have 40 years of service in this pension scheme, we haven't had any increases in the last 20 years so we're starting to feel a bit impoverished.

"We're trying to get the company to talk to us about how we can create an environment between the company and the pensioners where they can give us increases.

"They haven't given us any reason why we can't. The company's doing very well so it's not a case of affordability."

HPPA aimed to work with Hewlett Packard directly after it was unable to change the law for pensions to have built-in increases. Credit: ITV News Meridian

There is no legal obligation to protect pensioners against inflation for work before 1997 and the HPPA had tried to change that.

Six years ago the group held a debate in Westminster, calling for the law to be changed.

They said they had support from MPs but many of them lost their seat after Brexit and Covid.

Chair of HPPA, Alan Evans said: "In the long term we'd like to persuade the government to change the law so that we don't have to rely on discretionary increases - so that all pension service is treated in the same way and has increases built-in."

A spokesperson for Hewlett Packard Enterprise said: "HPE is committed to satisfying all of its responsibilities to both current and former team members.

"The decision on whether to grant discretionary increases to relevant pensioners is given careful consideration and is made on a number of different factors and is reviewed on an annual basis."

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