People receiving the state pension have heralded the 8.5 per cent increase that came into force today, meaning full claimants will be £900 better off each year.
The Government have focused their efforts on backing Britain’s pensioners and the measure comes as part of a raft of moves which they hope will boost the coffers of those who have stepped back from work.
GB News’s Will Hollis spoke to pensioners at Erewash Bowls Club in Long Eaton, Derbyshire, to gauge the sentiment towards the Government’s bid to back them.
Barry Bulman, 75, from Long Eaton, told Will: “It’s good in some cases but because the Government hasn’’t raised the personal allowance, I’m now paying pension.
Pensioners are divided on the rise
GB NEWS / PARLIAMENT
“My mother is 97-years-old. She has been on pension for 37 years and this is the first time she has had to pay tax.
“It’s quite a nice figure. I’m OK with things at the moment and I’ve got enough to keep me reasonably happy in my retirement.”
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Len Wharmby, 83, from Beeston was fairly satisfied with the boost.
“It’s alright. No problem. I'm not greedy”, he told GB News.
“We’re quite honest. I spend a lot of time here [bowls club]. I think the rise is alright. I’m not moaning about it.
“My wife does, but I don’t!”
Some pensioners fear that whatever is gained will be taken back off them
GB NEWS
John Hundleby, 82, from Beeston, says the rise will ‘of course help’ but admitted he is ‘comfortable anyway’.
“I could see it helping a lot of other people”, he added.
“I’m quite fortunate, but everything is going up. The biggest worry is where all the money is coming from for councils.
“There’s a lot of things we ought to be doing, roads for instance. I suppose the rise is enough, it’s enough for me, anyway.”
Pensioners spoke to Will Hollis
GB NEWS
Clive Murphy, from Breaston, was more sceptical about the rise, telling Will that the rise is ‘not enough’ for poor pensioners.
“It’s obviously a help, but they give it with one hand and take it away with another”, he said.
“I’d like to see the wealthy pensioners, that’s those who can afford to pay more, make them carry on paying national insurance.
“It’s very hard to be a pensioner if that’s all you’ve got coming in. It’s good that’s coming in, but they take so much off you in tax.
“Why do you have to pay tax? If you don’t have to pay national insurance, why tax?”
Among its other measures to help pensioners, the Department for Work and Pensions said last year’s 10.1 per cent state pension rise was the highest cash increase in history, with winter support worth nearly £5 billion.
Ministers also pointed to the 2p cut to national insurance announced by Chancellor Jeremy Hunt at the Budget among measures to help households struggling with living costs.
Mel Stride, the Work and Pensions Secretary, said: “Thanks to the triple lock and our efforts to drive down inflation, we are putting money back in the pockets of pensioners. This is only possible because we have stuck to our plan and our economy has turned a corner.
“This will make a meaningful difference to all those who rely on the state pension and ensure we continue to provide a safety net for those who need it most while making work pay wherever possible.”
The Liberal Democrats were critical of the Government’s approach, claiming any benefits from the new measure would be largely wiped out as more pensioners are dragged into paying income tax as a result of threshold freezes.