CampaignsPensions & Benefits"Return To Rationing?" - Royal British Legion highlights pensioners’ struggle "Return To Rationing?" - Royal British Legion highlights pensioners’ struggle
10/09/2008
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.
In June of this year Ipsos MORI carried out a survey on the RBL’s behalf and found that 38% of veterans, spouses and widow(er)s reported existing on an income below the Minimum Income for Healthy Living (£7072 per annum, or £136 per week for a single person and £11,200 or £216 for a couple).
The RBL hope that the "Return to Rationing?" campaign - which was launched at the 'Dig for Victory' exhibit in London’s St James's Park - will serve as a poignant reminder of the deprivation suffered by millions of British people during the WW2.
Director General of The RBL, Chris Simpkins, said: "We all thought rationing was history. But we were wrong. Even the Chancellor says we’re facing the worst economic climate in 60 years and this has a crushing impact on older people. The Government must give them the help they deserve - making it easier for them to access their entitlements and giving them a level of income to ensure their basic needs are met."
"We owe this wartime generation a great debt, yet many of them have effectively returned to those austere days, living on extremely low fixed incomes. One-third of the ex-Service community over the age of 65 have an income that is inadequate to maintain a healthy lifestyle, and it is even more disturbing that many are unaware of the financial support available to them or how to access it."
The Legion is calling on the Government to:
• Provide a package of Council Tax Benefit improvements
• Make war pensioners exempt from Disabled Facility Grant (DFG) means testing, and
• Double the personal expense allowance for care home residents
"Return to Rationing?" is supported by war veteran Eugene Lynch, 92, who saw action in India and Burma, and John Walker, 78, who served 19 years for Queen and country. Both men lived through the deprivations of rationing of WW2 and the Post-War Era - and are now once again rationing everyday essentials.
Said John: "I am dreading the winter, it really is the worst time for me. I can only afford to turn on my heating for an hour a day - but after 19 years of Service to this country why should I have to scrimp and save? I should be able to have steak every now and then. I should be able to turn on my central heating for warmth. I find it degrading but I am in no position to be proud. I just want some dignity in my life."
Age Concern Director General Gordon Lishman says: "The spiralling cost of living is hitting older people on low fixed incomes particularly hard. The RBL is right to highlight that without government intervention many older people will be forced to ration their food, clothes and heating. We estimate that one in three older people will be in fuel poverty this winter, and many of them will be bitterly disappointed by the Government’s refusal to offer them any additional short term help."
Supporters can get involved in the "Return to Rationing"? campaign by visiting the website linked below and signing the online petition, or by requesting a campaign pack from Legionline on 08457 725 725.