Letter: Inflation wiped out pension rise
Friday 26th February 2010, 7:29AM GMT.
Letter: If this New Labour mob is trying to sound as though it is the champion for the elderly leading up to this General Election then I am afraid it is doing the one thing it is good at being . . . deceitful.
After all the boasting in the last Budget on how it had put the pension up again, I think it was 2.5 per cent, I have found out, from my mother’s statement, the details of the new increase in April, which by the way has now been wiped out by the ever-increasing inflation rate, that the increase was only for the basic state pension, none of the other add-on benefits.
And that is the first time ever in history they have not put the increase on these, so saving themselves millions at elderly peoples’ expense.
I also noticed the biggest joke yet, the 25p, yes 25p, age benefit for being over 80 and this has not changed since this lot have been in power.
It is an insult. At least give them a £1 so they could get a lottery ticket, as that seems on how this Government works – you might get lucky!
Trev Butler
Lawley
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‘The ever-increasing inflation rate’?
Has the letter writer been asleep for a long time?
Although inflation has gone up a little lately as we begin to come out of the bankers’ global recession, imflation has been at historically low levels for a long time now.
Perhaps the writer should look back at some of the inflationary levels in previous decades before putting pen to paper.
This government has done a lot for our poorest pensioners by introducing Pensions Credit.
The real tragedy is that some 20% of those entitled to it are not claiming their full entitlement. Perhaps the writer should also check that his mother is getting all that she’s entitled to?
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Headline should ahve read as: *Government in “we want your money” shocker*
how do you get to a pensionable age and not realise that everytime somebody gives you £5 they charge you £10?
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Pension rises are based on Septembers inflation figures .September is usually one of the lowest months for inflation because loads of crops harvested and food prices make an impact on inflation .Pension rises are paid in April so inflation the is generally greater .Darling announced a rise of 2.5 % but the fact that it was not on everything was in the small print (mine works out at 1.9%)Inflation now is well over 3% ,another problem is the rates paid in interest to many pensioners who have to use Clowns words (Brown) have prudently saved for their old age find now that the rates offered on savings are half to a third less than they were ,but banks are still charging high rates to borrowers .We have bailed out banks to the tune of billions .It is not the government who have done this ,the government have no money it is all taxpayers money .The government still find it acceptable to pay 25 pence rise when you reach 80 ,if you pay tax it is even less .Fuel prices are still high they hit pensioners hard.I know Peter will say about fuel allowances but Clown was clever he did not embody them in the pension where we could get inflation increases on them and he could stop them any time .I personally think that the way inflation is calculated is entirely wrong for the pension population ,It monitors the wrong things .Fuel and food should be the priorities for pensioners .
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It is a shame although not a fan of labour many oap’s are and would be better off under labour. See what happens when the tory’s get in IM afraid they(majority) will be a lot worse off.However many will be better off.
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I’ve been paying into a pension since I was 19 years old and I opted out of SERPS thinking you’ll be lucky if there’s a state pension worth having when I retire – now the government is making me pay into a state pension against my will despite my making my own provisions – Why? Because they got no money to pay the current liability to pensioners. And we are an aging population so who’s gonna be paying the NI to cover the pension bill in 40 years times to cover my state pension? If I choose to opt our I should not be forced back in – the gov’t bleat that we should make provision for old age then they forcibly take from you the money set aside for this – really makes me angry!
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