Campaigns Millions being hit by Post Office closures
21/07/2008
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New research from Help the Aged shows that almost one third of older people (3.6 million) have seen their nearest post office close as a result of the programme of closures instigated by Post Office Ltd.
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"Change policy to end rising pensioner poverty," Government told
Britain’s biggest pensioner organisation, the National Pensioners Convention (NPC), has called on the government to change its pensions’ policy because it is failing to tackle the growing problem of pensioner poverty.
Another tough year ahead for pensioners facing inflation-busting Council Tax bills
Pensioners face a tough year ahead, following another inflation-busting rise in Council Tax of 4%.
Hospital parking – a stealth tax too far
I empathise with Peter Nassan (MT June), and I am sure with thousands of others regarding the disgraceful parking charges levied on the sick and their relatives by NHS hospitals.
Care fees: who should be paying the bills?
Every year tens of thousands of people are forced to sell their homes to pay for care fees. But should they really be paying at all when their needs are primarily medical? In the first of a series of articles for Mature Times, John Harrison - a specialist lawyer with 23 years’ experience in the field of asset protection - shares his knowledge of “the system”. We’ll hear about the ploys that some less than scrupulous local authorities use to persuade people to part with their money. The names have been changed, but the cases are real.
1966 hero's plea: don't leave prostate treatment to chance
World Cup legend Sir Geoff Hurst, MBE, backed by leading doctors, MPs and patient groups is appealing for all men with prostate cancer to get access to the best care as it has emerged 7 out of 10 with advanced disease do not receive chemotherapy despite being eligible for treatment.
Councils and their pound of flesh
On Monday 14th July at 9.30am, Mr Philip McGrevey will be attending the Newton Abbot Magistrates' Court, trying to get recognition of the plight of pensioners struggling to pay ouncil Tax. We would ask for Mature Times readers’ support since we do not want a repetition of what happened in Somerset where a pensioner was driven to take his own life because of the pressures he was under.
Warwickshire "forcing people to pay for drugs privately or go blind"
The Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) is backing legal action against Warwickshire Primary Care Trust, which it believes is operating an unlawful blanket ban on providing sight-saving treatments.
Ex-Gurkhas lose their battle to retire in the country they defended
The two thousand Gurkha veterans who risked their lives for this country and retired before July 1st 1997 have been denied the right to live here in their old age, having lost an adjourned test appeal case.
One in three of future pensioners face poverty in retirement
Britain's biggest older people's organisation, the National Pensioners Convention (NPC), has claimed that today's Scottish Widows’ survey showing that one in three people cannot afford to save for their retirement, is further evidence that the government’s pensions’ policy is beginning to unravel.
Call to end paying for Alzheimer's care
National charity has given its support to the Alzheimer’s Society’s new report "The Dementia Tax - Charging for people with dementia for inadequate care: the evidence for change".
Disabled could face jail with changes to cannabis ruling
Things could get even worse for the thousands of disabled people who use cannabis for chronic pain relief if Home Secretary Jacqui Smith reclassifies the drug from class C to class B "in the interests of public health". The reclassification would mean disabled people facing a maximum prison sentence for five years.
London hit hardest by government's 'flawed' social care funding
Millions of pounds of funding for social care could be taken out of London and the South East by "flawed government funding mechanisms".
"Consign ageism to the dustbin of history"
Britain’s biggest pensioner organisation, the National Pensioners Convention (NPC), has welcomed the Government's publication of the Equality Bill, but has called for more practical measures to change attitudes towards the older population. Age Concern and Help the Aged have described it as a "massive step forward", but say that now is the time for the public to press their MPs to make sure the legislation happens as soon as possible.
Energy price rises "will push another 1.6m pensioners into fuel poverty"
Cash strapped Brits could face an average total energy bill increase of £555 this year, and Britain's biggest older people's organisation, the National Pensioners Convention, has claimed that the threat that energy bills may rise later in the year by 40% will push another 1.6m older people into fuel poverty.
