Welfare Reform Bill – please don’t let Parkinson’s sufferers be judged
05/12/2008
The Welfare Reform Bill proposed in the Queen’s Speech would make it possible to stop benefits for those who won’t take up job opportunities. But Steve Ford, CEO of the Parkinson’s Disease Society has warned against assuming that people with Parkinson’s are fit enough to work.
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Pre-Budget a "missed opportunity" say Seniors
The Senior Citizen Party has dismissed the 2.5% cut in the rate of VAT as "a waste of £12 billion," he said," which could have been much better used to increase the personal tax allowance by £1000, thereby putting an additional £800 in everyone's pocket, and by removing the 5% VAT on gas and electricity to give people the confidence that they can actually pay their energy bills and do not have to 'choose between eat and heat'.
What will the Pre-Budget mean to you?
What will the Pre-Budget mean to you? The Low Income Tax Reform Group explain the detail and pass their judgement on the report - concluding that the approach is welcome, but whether the Chancellor's measures will have the effects he anticipates is yet to be seen.
Pensioners’ boost in Chancellor’s Pre-Budget statement - or 'skinflint' measures?
Pensioners will have a delayed Christmas present from the Chancellor, who has announced an extra £60 for each person – payable in January. In addition, Pension Credit will rise from £124 to £130 in April for single pensioners, and from £189 to £198 for couples – above indexation. The single pension will rise from £90.70 to £95.25. But the announcements have received a lukewarm welcome from campaign organisations Help the Aged, Age Concern and the National Pensioners Convention.
Ex-pat Brits take their pensions case to European court
The International Consortium of British Pensioners (ICBP) has instructed its legal team to seek referral of the Carson, Jackson and Others v the United Kingdom case to the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights. This action follows the 4 November 2008 judgment of a Chamber of the Court which, in a 6-to-1 decision, rejected the Applicants' challenge to the United Kingdom's refusal to uprate in line with inflation the state pensions of over 50 per cent of UK pensioners resident overseas.
Campaigners' five-point plan for 'pensioners’ budget'
Britain’s biggest pensioner organisation, the National Pensioners Convention (NPC) is calling on the Chancellor to use his pre-Budget report today, to announce a series of measures to help hard-pressed pensioners.
2008 lobby of Parliament - a national perspective
"The theme of this year’s Lobby on October 22nd," writes John Cherrett, "was that each pensioner be accompanied by a working colleague or friend, it would bring to the attention of MPs that the worker of today is the pensioner of tomorrow."
"Women need a higher basic state pension – not window dressing"
Britain’s biggest pensioner organisation, the National Pensioners Convention (NPC) has described today’s announcement by the government to allow pensioners to buy back up to six years of missing national insurance contributions, as “window dressing”.
Our day lobbying Parliament - by the Wolverhampton Pensioners Convention
"There are few sights to match an October sun rising over woodland to warm frosted fields, creating that fine mist that is so characteristic of autumn in England. As our coach sped down the motorway, leaving the West Midlands behind that is the sight that greeted us. We were on our way to the annual pensioners’ lobby of MPs to demand better pensions and conditions for the millions of pensioners in the UK."
1500 lobby Parliament to win DLA for those with severe sight loss
Today (15 October) the RNIB is taking its plea to the doors of Government, to extend eligibility to claim the higher rate mobility component of Disability Living Allowance (DLA) to people with severe sight loss to parliament. The Government is in the process of making a decision about whether or not to make the changes, and keeping up the pressure at this stage is vital - because the decision could go either way.
Restoring the Link is affordable now
Every year the surplus in the National Insurance Fund grows greater.
Why can this not be used now to improve pensions? asks John Cherrett.
Pension rise: 'too little, too late to cope with pensioner inflation"
Britain’s biggest pensioner organisation, the National Pensioners Convention (NPC) has called on the government to immediately raise the basic state pension to ease the current financial pressures faced by millions of older people. The call follows today’s announcement that the state pension, based on the September Retail Price Index figure, is likely to rise by 5% next April, giving an increase of just £4.55 a week.
Government silently robs pensioners - again!
Several readers contacted us after hearing BBC Radio 4's Money Box broadcast on Saturday September 20th. They were alarmed and angry that the Government's new rules on backdated benefits will adversely affect, yet again, some of our most vulnerable members of society - and just as they face the onset of winter fuel bills.
Mature Times wins back RAF veteran's pension
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Last year Dr David Jackson, who served as a wartime RAF pilot before a long and distinguished career in medicine, asked Mature Times for help in reclaiming three years of his basic State Pension - caused by a DWP error.
As a result of the article, and expert help from an MT reader, he has finally won his case.
"Return To Rationing?" - Royal British Legion highlights pensioners’ struggle
The Royal British Legion (RBL), backed by Age Concern, has launched a campaign entitled "Return to Rationing?" designed to highlight the huge struggle older people are facing just to make to ends meet with the credit crunch, rising taxes, and soaring fuel and food costs. And they are urging the Government to make changes to bring UK pensioners out of poverty.
