A solution to Mr Brown's 10p problem...

25/04/2008

Now that the 10p tax on pensions has arrived it is easy for Gordon Brown to extract himself from the home goal he has created for himself.

In previous years he promised that pensioners would “Share in the wealth of the country”, that “Means testing for pensions will end”... promises he has yet to keep.

Both he and the Chancellor are sitting on £46 billion in the National Insurance Fund (NIF), money we paid in by compulsion for the whole of our working lives. If they wish to take pensioners out of poverty then they must use our money to pay a state pension of £135 per person per week- this sum is based on the governments own figures.

The government's own Actuary has agreed that only two months’ pension money need be kept in the NIF, the rest can be used to pay a proper non means tested pension of £135.

It is a fact that 62% of married pensioners exist on less than £10,000 per year and the percentage of singles on less than £5,000 is even higher. Since 1979 MPs Salary has risen by 542% but despite promises to us the state pensioners has risen by 274%, if our pension had risen by the same percentage as MPs salaries instead of £90:70 we would receive £152:44 a week.

So Mr Brown, there is your answer, keep the promises you made, take us out of fiscal and fuel poverty, use our money to pay us a proper non-means tested pension based on your own government figures - after all you are alleged to be a socialist.

John Cherrett
Wessex Pensioners