National Pensioners' Convention manifesto

8.43.00am GMT Mon 1st Mar 2010

Parliamentary candidates are being asked to support the National Pensioners' Convention manifesto which calls for:

A basic state pension set above the official poverty level (estimated at £165 a week in 2009), which is linked to the higher of earnings or prices, and paid alongside other existing concessions, to provide some financial security for all.

Free long-term and social care funded from general taxation and provided to the highest standards in order to maintain dignity and without the need for means-testing, rationing or a postcode lottery.

Good quality local services funded through national income tax rather than council tax.

Free UK-wide travel on all forms of public transport (buses, trams and rail) to encourage independence and greater mobility, as well as helping the environment and reducing demand on care services.

An end to discrimination where it adversely affects the opportunities, goods and services available to older people.

A winter fuel allowance of £500 per pensioner household to help maintain a warm and comfortable home.

These ambitions are clearly desirable. The problem is to decide how much of the manifesto could be implemented at present. Here's the Lib Dem response from Steve Webb MP.

Basic state pension:

The Liberal Democrats believe a decent state pension is the key to a solid foundation for retirement, and our goal is to introduce a 'citizen's pension' where people receive a full pension regardless of contributions, and which is gradually raised high enough to lift people clear of means-testing. As a first step towards this, we will go into the next election pledged to restore the earnings link at once.

In addition to this we propose a number of other measures that would be of particular benefit to pensioners. We propose that the personal tax allowance should be raised for all to £10,000, so that no pensioner with total income below this level would pay income tax at all. This would benefit most taxpaying pensioners to the tune of around £100.

Long term care:

The long-term funding system for adult social care in England is not fit for purpose and funding for services is likely to become more difficult. We want a cross-party commission set up to reach a consensus on social care and sort this problem out. Our preference is for a partnership model, where the state and the individual both contribute. We have also set out a respite care guarantee, which would provide a week's break from caring every year to the one million unpaid carers who provide more than 50 hours of care each week.

Local income tax:

We propose the abolition of the council tax, to be replace by a local tax based on ability to pay. This would be of huge benefit to most pensioners who would pay less under a local income tax type scheme.

Public transport:

We would improve local bus services by giving councils greater powers to regulate services according to community needs. This means that local people will get a real say over routes and fares in their area.

Discrimination:

We strongly oppose discrimination, particularly where it affects the opportunities, goods and services available to older people.We would remove compulsory retirement ages because we believe it is unacceptable that someone can be sacked simply because of their age, regardless of what they have to offer in terms of their skills and experience. People should be judged on their ability to do their work not their age.

Keeping warm in the winter:

Nearly 37,000 people died from the cold last winter, most of them elderly. Energy bills are too expensive for too many people, especially pensioners who often spend all day at home. We will force energy companies to introduce "social tariffs", lower than their other prices, for everyone struggling to make ends meet.

Whilst we have regard to the economic realities which will face any incoming government, we are committed to greater fairness and a better deal for pensioners.

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The manifesto is supported by Age Sector Platform, Age Concern, Help the Aged, NPC, and ICTU.

http://www.communityni.org/opinion/pensioners-manifesto