Sign this petition to the Chancellor – ‘You must protect older people in your October Budget!’

The Government has got off on the wrong foot with older people, by scrapping the winter fuel payment for 10 million of us, without warning and without consultation.

The cut was not included in the Labour Manifesto and was not mentioned during the General Election campaign. There is great concern about the 3 million older people just above the ludicrously low pension credit eligibility level of £218 per week, who many charities consider will fall into fuel poverty this winter.

This mis-step by Labour has been compounded by ditching promised social care reforms and encouraging speculation that other universal benefits such as the free bus pass and free prescriptions in England are also under threat.  Scrapping the single person council tax discount has also been mooted, which would heap hardship on struggling single pensioners. And a continued freeze on the lower tax threshold will bring hundreds of thousands of older people into the tax system for the first time. At the root of these issues is the very low rate of the basic state pension, relative to other developed countries, and particularly the growing and scandalous gap between the old and new state pensions.

The petition below, which will be presented to 10 Downing Street on Monday encompasses such issues, and we would be grateful if you add your signature.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN THE PETITION TO PROTECT OLDER PEOPLE IN THE OCTOBER BUDGET

We call on the Chancellor to right the wrongs caused by the cruel decision to scrap the winter fuel payment for 10 million older people, in her Budget on 30 October by:

• Restoring a universal winter fuel payment for all older people on modest incomes, payable automatically without the need to claim. Silversurfers partner Silver Voices has suggested a cut-off point at the level of the higher rate of income tax
• Resisting calls for the means testing of other universal benefits, such as the bus pass and free prescriptions in England
• Ruling out the scrapping of single person discounts on council tax

We further note that the need for universal benefits is the very low rate of the basic state pension, particularly the ‘old state pension’ received by the large majority of pensioners, currently standing at £169.50 per week. We urge the Chancellor to address this long standing problem by:

• Setting targets to eliminate the growing gap between the old and new state pensions, and to set a realistic minimum level of the state pension which is sufficient for life’s essentials
• Taking measures to ensure that the basic state pension is never taxed

Retired people deserve to spend their time with dignity and in reasonable comfort, not having to juggle their budgets constantly between heating, eating and other household bills.

Silversurfers and our partner, Silver Voices, urge the Government to turn over a new leaf with the older generations, by safeguarding our well-being rather than targeting us for savings.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN THE PETITION TO PROTECT OLDER PEOPLE IN THE OCTOBER BUDGET