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Congleton Liberal DemocratsCampaigning all year round for the people of Congleton, Holmes Chapel, Alsager, Middlewich, Sandbach and surrounding areas. |
Pensioner Poverty
March 24, 2010 8:51 PM
By Dr Peter Hirst in Congleton Chronicle
By Dr Peter Hirst in Congleton Chronicle
Dear Sir,
Labour betrayed the pensioners living in Congleton constituency when they voted through measures on Tuesday (2nd March) to freeze the state pension top-up payments in April. This will leave almost 9 million pensioners worse off. They are not increasing payments of State Earning Related Pensions and the Second State Pension, saving £515million in the next financial year.
This is at a time when many pensioners are already struggling to make ends meet. The excessively cold winter and the rise in inflation are hitting them hard. Many do not apply for the cold weather payments because of ignorance and the complexity of doing so. Fuel poverty is affecting as many as when Labour came into power in 1997.
The Liberal Democrats would index pensions to earnings rather than prices on gaining power. We still aim to make receiving pensions a right of residence rather than years worked when able to afford it. This would allow those, especially women, who leave work to care for ill relatives to receive the full payment and avoid the stigma of having to apply for means tested benefits.
Yours sincerely,
Dr Peter Hirst
Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate for Congleton
Rushton Drive
Middlewich
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