Mature Times - Pensions & Benefits

2008 lobby of Parliament - a national perspective

Fri, 24 Oct 2008 13:46:23 +0100

"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"

Fri, 24 Oct 2008 08:49:48 +0100

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

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 09:01:55 +0100

"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

Mon, 20 Oct 2008 11:39:13 +0100

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

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 11:47:36 +0100

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"

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 09:29:18 +0100

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!

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 13:37:00 +0100

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

Mon, 15 Sep 2008 13:15:09 +0100

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

Wed, 10 Sep 2008 11:29:53 +0100

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.

We've had the vision - now can we have our pension please?

Fri, 08 Aug 2008 12:23:40 +0100

Pensions Minister Mike O’Brien’s homily is merely cynical hypocrisy when he writes: "We must begin to free our minds from some of the prejudices about ageing". He must first free the minds of his DWP colleagues from their prejudice against half the expatriate pensioners, 500,000 people overwhelmingly in the major Commonwealth countries who are denied annual uprating, their pensions frozen for all time.

"Please support our benefits campaign for severe sight loss," says the RNIB

Tue, 29 Jul 2008 10:27:53 +0100

The RNIB is asking Mature Times readers for support in the final stages of their campaign to extend eligibility to claim the higher rate mobility component of DLA to people with severe sight loss. 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.

"Change policy to end rising pensioner poverty," Government told

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 11:12:30 +0100

Britain’s biggest pensioner organisation, the National Pensioners Convention (NPC), has called on the government to change its pensions’ policy because it is failing to tackle the growing problem of pensioner poverty.

Ex-Gurkhas lose their battle to retire in the country they defended

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 12:08:39 +0100

The two thousand Gurkha veterans who risked their lives for this country and retired before July 1st 1997 have been denied the right to live here in their old age, having lost an adjourned test appeal case.

One in three of future pensioners face poverty in retirement

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 12:06:33 +0100

Britain's biggest older people's organisation, the National Pensioners Convention (NPC), has claimed that today's Scottish Widows’ survey showing that one in three people cannot afford to save for their retirement, is further evidence that the government’s pensions’ policy is beginning to unravel.

Fight goes on for women's pension rights

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 16:49:14 +0100

Regular MT readers will know that Lib Dem MP Steve Webb has been battling for better pension rights for women - here he reports how our readers are helping to bring about improvements for all.