Where we stand: Pensions and Older Prople

Continuing our series of policy discussions Cllr Andy Morgan, Conservative Parliamentary Candidiate for Bolton South East, outlines Conservative plans with regards pensions and support for Older People in general.

PENSIONS

We need to reinvigorate a culture of savings in Britain. We will raise the basic state pension in line with earnings to help stop the spread of the means test. At the same time, we will look at how we can simplify the rules and regulations around pensions to encourage companies to offer high quality pension provision to all employees.

We will give people more control over their retirement income by ending the effective obligation to buy an annuity at 75.

We will take the tough decisions needed to ensure all pensioners receive a decent state pension.

We want to make sure public sector pensions are fair and affordable. An incoming Conservative government would set up an independent Office for Budget Responsibility which would conduct a full review of Public Sector Pensions. A Conservative government would place a cap on the biggest government pensions, including those for senior civil servants, local council executives and quango managers.

SUPPORTING OLDER PEOPLE

As well as recognising the contributions older people make to society, we also need to help those elderly people who are amongst the most vulnerable in our society.

So a Conservative government will look at ways of creating more personalisation in health and social care, and more patient power.

We will introduce a new ‘home protection scheme’ that will end the desperate situation whereby tens of thousands of older people are being forced to sell their homes each year to pay for residential care at the end of their lives.

In addition, we want to see much greater use of direct payments and individual budgets, which give people real control over their care.

We want to ensure a fairer deal for grandparents, and are looking at ways in which a Conservative government could make it easier for grandparents to receive tax credits and allowances when looking after their grandchildren.

Tackling the Cost of Living. Under Labour, the cost of living for pensioners has soared. We will help to tackle this by working with local councils to introduce a two year Council Tax freeze.

We will also do more to help pensioners with their fuel bills. We will protect the Winter Fuel Payment, and we will introduce a new entitlement for every household to be fitted with up to £6,500 of approved energy efficiency improvements. A Conservative government would expand the role of the Post Office Card Account so it could be used to make direct debit payments on utility bills. This could cut the energy bills of up to 4 million POCA holders by up to £100 a year.