12.9.2000

"Tackling pensioner poverty should be a priority" - Edward Davey

New figures show number of pensioners in low income households in Kingston on the rise

Local Lib Dem MP, Edward Davey, has uncovered new research which shows that the number of low income households across London has risen since the election. 

The figures were recently published in a report entitled, "Regional Social Exclusion Indicators", produced by the House of Commons Library. Applying the figures proportional to Kingston shows, the number of low income pensioners in the Borough increasing from 9000 to 9600.

The figures support the need for Edward Davey's campaign for pensioners. 

Earlier this summer, Mr Davey met with local pensioner organisations and fed in their comments to the formulation of the Liberal Democrats pre-election manifesto, launched last week.  

The document entitled 'Freedom in a Liberal Society' pledges to increase the basic state pension by £5 per week for all pensioners, £10 for pensioners aged 75-79 and £15 for those aged 80 and over.  This is in contrast to the Tories' recent pledge to give pensioners an extra 42p per week net income rise and Labour's 75p a week rise

Commenting on these figures, Edward Davey said,

"These figures confirm what elderly residents have been telling me and what I also suspected, 'The country has been getting richer but the pensioners' lot has got worse.' 

To their shame, successive Governments have failed to support Britain's needy pensioners. 

Pensioners have now had enough.   I am delighted my party, the Liberal Democrats, now have fully costed proposals for decent pension rises to reverse this worrying trend.  This first step, of increasing the pension by £5 per week for all pensioners, will go a long way to ensuring local residents have a decent income in their retirement."

News releases

Articles in the Informer

Campaigns