Grey power marks 100 years of state pension with demand to end poverty in old age

02/06/2008

Two thousand leading members of Britain’s growing grey power movement will mark 100 years of the state pension at the opening of their annual Pensioners’ Parliament on Tuesday June 3, by calling on the government to raise the state pension above the poverty line and restore its link with earnings before 2012.

Delegates believe that this is the time for the grey vote to exert its power - as it may hold the key to the next election
 
The demand comes at the start of the 3-day annual event in Blackpool, organised by the National Pensioners Convention (NPC). Delegates from across the UK will also argue that meeting the needs of Britain’s older voters - 20 million of whom are over 50 and 11 million of pensionable age - will be key to winning the next election.
 
A recent survey by the Hansard Society confirmed previous findings that the propensity to vote directly relates to age. 78% of 65-74-year-olds said they would definitely vote, compared to only 23% of those aged 18-24.
 
Some of the major concerns which delegates will discuss include:
 
• Raising the basic state pension above the poverty level of £134 a week and restoring the link with earnings now;

• Requiring good quality, free long-term and social care to prevent people from having to sell their homes in order to pay for services;

• Replacing the council tax with a fairer system based on the ability to pay;

• Tackling the growing threat of fuel poverty amongst Britain’s elderly to prevent the deaths of over 20,000 pensioners every year from the cold
 
Joe Harris NPC General Secretary said: “The current political climate shows that the general public are unimpressed with what the government has done over the last ten years in relation to pensions, council tax and care. After a century, the state pension remains just £90.70 a week and at least 2.2m pensioners are still living in poverty.

"The link between pensions and earnings has been delayed until 2012, by which time three million of today’s older generation will be dead.

“Social care in Britain is in crisis. The government refuses to spend the money needed to provide free care in the home and continues to argue that patients must pay for help with washing, eating a meal or going to the toilet.

“Council tax has risen by more than 100% in the last decade, and fuel bills
continue to escalate to such a point where millions of older people are now having to make the unenviable choice between eating or heating.

”All political parties need to realise that pensioners may well hold they key to who wins the next general election – especially as they are more likely to turn out and vote than any other section of the electorate. The Pensioners' Parliament will warn the politicians that if they want the votes of Britain's older people, they are going to have to do something positive.”
 
The opening session of the Parliament will also feature theatrical readings in period costume and speeches from Frances O’Grady (TUC), Danny Alexander MP and Kate Hoey MP. Delegates will also hear a specially composed piece of music by Michael Nyman entitled “The Battle for the Old Age Pension”.