The National Pensioner’s Convention warns that the Spring Budget spells yet more disastrous news for today’s, and more worryingly, tomorrow’s retirees.
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt may appear to be giving with another state pension rise, due in April, but he is also taking away much of this income boost by stealth.
Worst of all he has completely failed to offer any plan for the long-term future of our ageing population, nor any strategy to deal with increasing poverty in all areas of society.
General secretary of the NPC Jan Shortt said: “This pre-election budget just continues a fiscal pattern that continues to push millions of today’s and tomorrow’s older people into poverty.
“There was nothing in chancellor Jeremy’s Hunt Spring Budget for older people, just as there was nothing in his last budget.
“The cut in National Insurance doesn’t help today’s retired people because they don’t pay it.
“However, this cut in NI will badly affect pensioners of the future. It means less money going into the state pension pot, reducing what is available to the next generation of retirees.
“The freeze on tax thresholds together with the pension rises will also see millions more pensioners, many with small additional occupational incomes, being forced to pay tax for the first time. So, in effect, what they gain in a pension rise, will be lost to taxation. Indeed, this freeze on tax thresholds is of little use to everyone except the wealthy.”
On March 6, at the Cold Homes Kill fuel poverty protest across from Parliament, part of the Unite Energy for All campaign, the General secretary said: “A staggering 5.3 million people are now in debt to their energy providers, including older people who cannot afford to heat their homes as the cost of food and other essentials remains high.
“Yet the Chancellor offers little help to those living in inadequate and poorly insulated homes that they cannot afford to keep warm.
“We know thousands die each year in the UK from illnesses related to living in cold and damp conditions, these figures can only get worse, despite the energy industry regulator Ofgem’s move to finally lower the price cap on bills, frankly, it’s too little too late.
“The government needs to do better when it comes to fuel poverty which is now widespread.
“Housing needs are right across society and there is a greater need for social housing, in particular.
“To add insult to injury, the Chancellor offered nothing to a crisis-hit care sector that is critical to the health and wellbeing of older people.
“Living in cold, damp conditions will only lead to more falling ill and requiring additional health and social care services which are already stretched.”
Rodney Sadd
NPC supporter
Crowland
