The Budget was a failure for older people despite our huge lobbying effort and it was ageist at its core. Our only course now is to be build a real mass movement of pensioners, led by Silver Voices, to assert political strength. Join our movement today on this link, you can join free until the end of the year if you are not sure: www.silvervoices.co.uk/join-us
Since it took office, the new Government has targeted older people, and our lobbying efforts have had to be concentrated on defending pensions and benefits rather then improvements to the system like scrapping frozen pensions. The Budget reinforced our concerns and failed us in many ways. The Budget:
Failed to mention the cruel and crude decision to limit the winter fuel payment to those on pension credit, and introduced no mitigating measures to lessen the harm to older people on modest incomes this winter
Failed to give a commitment that other universal benefits such as the free bus pass and free prescriptions in England would continue for the rest of this Parliament
Failed to give assurances about the future of the state pension, amid rumours about future means-testing, raising the state pension age and the continuation of the Triple Lock. It also looks like the growing gap between the old and new state pensions is here to stay
Failed to guarantee compensation for the 1950s (WASPI) women
Failed to act on the extreme crisis in social care, other than a very limited immediate bail-out of £600 million to be shared between adult and children’s social care
Failed to unfreeze the lower tax threshold
Carer’s Allowance was raised but those on the state pension can’t receive it!
The crack down on benefit fraud may provide DWP with direct access to the bank accounts of all state pensioners
Older people will continue to be targeted by this Government, and we will struggle to obtain improvements in the state pension system (including on the issue of frozen pensions), unless we show united resolve. Only Silver Voices has the energy and passion to do this!
thanks Dennis