UK NEWS

OUR PENSIONERS ARE POORER THAN EAST EUROPEANS

CRITIC: Chris Grayling

Saturday March 1,2008

By Macer Hall Political Editor

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PENSIONERS in Britain are among the most likely in Europe to fall into poverty, it was revealed last night.

Only elderly people in Spain, Cyprus or Latvia have a greater chance of seeing their household income plunge below the official poverty line.

Even retired folk in Romania, Bulgaria and Greece are better off.

Labour’s high taxes and means-tested benefits for pensioners were blamed for Britain’s appalling rating in the European pensioner poverty league.

The figures were obtained by the Tories yesterday from the EU statistical service Eurostat.

Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, Chris Grayling said: “These are very depressing figures despite all Gordon Brown’s promises.

“His system of means-testing is so complicated that many pensioners aren’t claiming the support they need.

“I don’t think he understands the impact of pushing up council tax year year after year on elderly people on fixed incomes.” Retired people in 28 other European countries were at less risk than those in Britain of hitting hard times.

Pensioners in the Netherlands and the Czech Republic were rated as least likely to fall into poverty, according to the Eurostat figures.

Slovakia, Poland, Luxembourg, Hungary and Iceland were highly rated for keeping pensioners out of poverty.

The figures suggest the likelihood of British pensioners slipping into poverty has worsened significantly since Labour came to power in 1997. The Tories blamed means-tested benefits such as the Pension Credit system for topping-up the State pension for needlessly plunging elderly folk into penury.

Up to 1.7 million pensioners are estimated to be failing to claim the full benefits they are entitled to.

On average, pensioners miss out on £50,000 in benefits between the ages of 65 and 85.

The Tories said taxation on pensioners is higher in the UK, largely because of council tax. It has more than doubled since 1997 and is due to go up by an inflation-busting four per cent this month.

OUR PENSIONERS ARE POORER THAN EAST EUROPEANS

01.04.08, 9:14am

Well remember who is running the Country :-

GORDON BROWN WHO ONCE, AS CHANCELLOR, SHOWED HIS UTTER CONTEMPT FOR THE ELDERLY BY GIVING OUR PENSIONERS A DERISORY 75 PENCE A WEEK RISE IN THIER RETIREMENT PENSIONS AND DID LITTLE TO IMPROVE THEIR "LOT" THEREAFTER.

THIS YEAR HE PRESIDED OVER ANOTHER LABOUR CHANCELLOR WHO ABOLISHED THE 10 PENCE TAX RATE AND THUS TOOK AWAY FROM THE POOR WITH ONE HAND WHILST HE GAVE TO THE RICH WITH THE OTHER.

DESPICABLE - UTTERLY DESPICABLE !

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