Dear Sir,
Further to Vince Crosby’s letter in the Newton News (27th September), I’m loathe to cross swords again, but feel that I must.
Labour appears to have forgotten its pre-election promise of being a ‘party for people, not politics’.
Only five months ago, the then Shadow Work and Pensions Minister, Alison McGovern, told the Guardian that Labour would be ‘the party for pensioners’.
Apparently not. How many pensioners were conned into voting Labour, only to be stitched up, within days, with the abolition of winter fuel payments?
And, despite a £10 billion windfall from the Bank of England, Labour MPs – including our own – still voted to cut this much needed payment.
Weren’t we told that Labour’s plans had been fully costed? And, didn’t they promise that any holes in the finances would be borne by the ‘broadest shoulders’?
Let’s look at some figures.
There may well be some very well-off pensioners – particularly those on gold-plated public service pensions, which cost around £5 trillion a year.
But, according to a report in The Telegraph on September 17th, the pension increase of 6.8% for public sector pensions this year is going to cost current tax payers a whopping £208 billion – because that’s the shortfall needed to fund the rise.
So, yes, some pensioners are able to live the high life, but tell that to the single pensioner on a state pension, struggling to pay their bills. And, if you are just a couple of quid over the threshold, you will not qualify for Pension Credit (which attracts other benefits, like TV licences and free dental/optical care).
Instead of robbing pensioners, what is the government doing to tackle fraud – especially benefit fraud?
According to the latest Fraud Indicator Report, annual UK benefit fraud losses could be as much as £219 billion! How many doctors, nurses and police could that pay for?
If the government recouped just half of that, it would pay almost all of the UK’s State Pension bill for the year.
Having worked all my life to get my State Pension (incidentally, one of the lowest in Europe), I resent the myth that all pensioners are rich. But means testing people who have worked all of their lives is just insulting.
Vince Crosby’s ‘I’m alright Jack’ attitude is unbecoming. Yes, he may ‘cope’ with the lost heating allowance, but a million pensioners, who are in poverty, won’t.
Meanwhile, two tier Kier – on his annual salary of around £170,000 – won’t have to worry about his outgoings. He’s already had thousands of pounds in donations from his mate, Lord Alli.
Not a good look is it?
Debbie Ingram.