Chiltern Green Party

The Green Party today becomes the only political party to back demands for a state pension of £170 per week and a better future for older people in Britain.

Nick Wilkins, Green Party candidate for Chesham & Amersham constituency, commented:
"Our pensioners have made a fantastic contribution to our society yet many find themselves having to scrape by on an inadequate state pension. It's time we raised the basic state pension to a level that's enough to live on - that is why Greens would make sure that all pensioners receive a non-means-tested £170 per week, as well as free social care for all who need it, as is currently offered in Scotland."

Jem Bailey, Green Party candidate for Beaconsfield, added:
"The figure of £170 per week is calculated as the minimum required to keep the basic state pension above the official poverty line, according to the National Pensioners' Convention. We are pleased to support their Pensioners' Manifesto, which calls for a range of measures to improve conditions for older people" (see note 4).

Darren Johnson, Green London Assembly member and parliamentary candidate for Lewisham Deptford, met with pensioners' rights campaigners at the launch of the Green Party's Older People's Pledge, a set of key national policies designed to make Britain a better place in which to grow old. (See attachment for full pledge).



End of default retirement age

In addition to raising pensioners above the poverty line, the Greens are pledging to end the default retirement age, so that people have the freedom to go on working and contributing to society if they wish to, free from discrimination on the basis of age.

And as part of the Greens' policy of free insulation for every home in Britain, pensioners would benefit from warmer homes and be less reliant on winter fuel payments.

Notes to editors:
1. The Green Party's Older People's Pledge is attached.
2. £170 per week - how it would be paid for
There are roughly 12 million pensioners living in the UK and a further 1 million living abroad. Paying a single rate of £170 per week, and a couples rate of £300 per week, will cost £110bn per year. The current basic state pension, plus certain other specific pensioner benefits like Pensions Credits paid to those of pension age (which would become redundant if the basic pension rate was raised to the level we propose) costs £70bn. For the remaining £40 billion, we would abolish tax relief on pension contributions (£20 billion), and the national insurance rebate on employer and employee contributions to private pension schemes (£19 billion). The final £1 billion will come from increased income tax receipts from pensioners.
3. In 2009-10, the full basic State Pension is £95.25 a week. For a married couple who both qualify, it is £190.50 a week. From April 6 2010, these figures will rise by 2.5%.
4. The NPC's Pensioners' Manifesto can be downloaded here:
http://www.npcuk.org/publications.htm (under 'General' - 'Pensioners' Manifesto 2010')

Further information, interviews:

Chiltern Green Party: 020 8144 0671
www.chilterngreenparty.org.uk
Green Party national press office: 020 7561 0282
www.greenparty.org.uk

Page 1 of 5  > >>