New campaign launched for female and elderly pensioners

5.3.03

"Government must raise pensions for Britain's most elderly"

The Liberal Democrats have launched a new campaign to highlight the plight of Britain's most elderly pensioners as well as many women pensioners. Lib Dem MP for Kingston and Surbiton, Edward Davey, has backed the campaign and is urging people to sign the national petition.

The campaign comes on the back of the threat of mass means testing for Kingston and Surbiton's pensioners. Government plans for a new complex "benefit" for pensioners, the "Pension Credit", have already been criticised by pensions experts who describe the plans as "eye-wateringly" complex. It is also linked to a long-running Lib Dem campaign to get many women pensioners a better pension deal.

Liberal Democrats fear the new "Pension Credit" will not get money to those who really need it, because of its complexity. They have proposed instead that the same money is used to raise the basic pension, but with the largest share going to the most elderly, as pensioner age is linked to poverty.

Edward Davey criticised the Government's plans as being "bureaucratic and poorly thought out". From October 2003, around half of all pensioners aged 65 or over could qualify for the proposed benefits but after parliamentary pressure, Government have admitted their plans are so complex that a third of the 5.5 million pensioners eligible will probably not receive it.

Local MP Edward Davey commented:

"The pensions system is already over-complex, yet Ministers are making it worse. Few people probably realise that means-testing is being introduced on a scale never previously experienced. That complexity will mean millions of needy pensioners not getting what they need.

"The only sure way for pensioners to get the money they are entitled to is to raise the basic state pension, particularly for older pensioners. Labour's complicated plans contrast with the Liberal Democrats' simple and affordable plans to increase the basic state pension by £5 a week for all pensioners - with bigger increases of up to £15 a week for older pensioners.

"I hope as many local people as possible will back this campaign, and sign our online petition."