Judicial Review – Pensions:
An application for Judicial Review made by an alliance of the Police Federation, the Civil Service Pensions Aliance, National Union of Teachers and Fire Brigade unions against the Government’s decision to use the Consumer Price Index (CPI) in place of the Retail Price Index (RPI), has failed, in a judgment handed down on the 02nd December 2011.
The Court found that the Government had not acted unlawfully in making the switch from the RPI to the CPI. The RPI tends to be higher and as a consequence pensions will suffer significantly from the change. Two of the three judges backed the Government. All three judges however, agreed the Government’s decision to switch to CPI was motivated by deficit reduction.
Solicitors for the unions have instructions to lodge an Appeal against the decision.