Decision on frozen pensions is “shameful and morally unjust”
16/03/2010
Britain’s biggest pensioner organisation, the National Pensioners Convention (NPC), has described today’s decision by the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights not to force the UK government to pay an annual increase in the state pension to all UK pensioners regardless of their country of residence as “shameful and morally unjust”.
More Stories
Kings Fund sets out a fairer future for care funding
New, fairer funding arrangements, a review of the current settlement for older people and reforms to the benefits system are among the proposals put forward in a major new report on the social care system by The King’s Fund today.
Cancer patients lose out on millions of unclaimed benefits
More than £90 million in disability benefits is going unclaimed by people diagnosed with terminal cancer in the UK, according to new research by Macmillan Cancer Support
'Quick wins for funding care must be acted upon now'
Counsel and Care, the national charity working with older people, their families and carers to get the best care and support, has welcomed the Health Select Committee’s report into social care, but calls for interim measures suggested in the report to be taken up and implemented as soon as possible.
Care summit brings political parties together - but is a long term solution any closer?
A cross party care summit on social care reform has been held by Age Concern and Help the Aged - bringing together Secretary of State for Health, Andy Burnham MP, and Shadow Secretaries Andrew Lansley MP and Norman Lamb MP. The aim was to provide a neutral platform for the main political parties to debate how the current social care and support system could be improved - and while there was consensus on the challenges being faced, there was less harmony on possible funding solutions.
Call for increase in dementia research
In December, we led Mature Times with criticism of reduced Government spending on Alzheimer’s research. In January, the Government replied to those comments. Here, Rebecca Wood, Chief Executive of Alzheimer’s Research Trust, explains why - while welcoming some Government initiatives - she still feels the issue is not receiving the priority it deserves.
'Over half of us will rely on state to fund our pension'
New research shows that the majority of us will be looking to the State to fund our retirement...
Older workers face highest long-term unemployment rate
Commenting on today's employment figures (Wednesday 17 March 2010), Chris Ball, Chief Executive of TAEN - The Age and Employment Network, said that whilst TAEN is pleased to note the small increase in the number of older workers in jobs, the increase in the number of long- term unemployed older men and women is a serious cause for concern.
Parents and children still living with over a million grandparents
A survey released by BeGrand.net today has found that more than 1 million grandparents in England (8%) have their children and grandchildren living with them, while just under a third of all grandparents (29%) provide childcare when their children go to work or study.
The plight of the old in Nepal
.JPG)
With little social care in Nepal, the family network is often the only form of welfare and support for the elderly. Yet many elderly people, through family loss or poverty, find themselves abandoned in old age; with no form of income, no home and poor health.
Have we really moved on in 50 years?
It's not so long ago that we stopped capital punishment in this country. 1964 marked the last execution, although it didn't come off the statute book for another five years. At the time, it was seen (by many, if not all of us) as a move towards a more humane society.
Roll on to 2010 and (effectively) there are people, and some media, who are keen to have the principle of 'a life for a life' brought back. Not a life being taken by the State, but by anyone who feels like it. What's more, they are promoting the idea of taking the life of someone who has committed a crime at the age of ten. How so?
Do you qualify for your maximum state pension?
If not then you need to read on. Despite our increasing longevity and a rapidly growing ageing population the Government is changing the state pension rules from the start of the new tax year next month.
Your Stars for the week 19th - 26th March
Your weekly Stars, brought to you by Tricia
Paula's Wines of the Week ( Week starting 16th March )
_0.JPG)
It's easy being green. So why not help the Irish along on Saint Patrick's Day this Wednesday and pour out some naturally green grape refreshment.
Martin Scorsese’s phantasmagorical 'Shutter Island'
What Dennis Lehane’s novels Mystic River and Shutter Island have in common, is a title that connotes a body of water in or around Boston, Massachusetts; a detective assigned to case that forces him to confront his disturbing past; a group of characters with thick Boston accents and two Oscar- winning directors over 65 who have turned both novels into Hollywood films.
