Angus pensioners left with "paltry support"

The Liberal Democrats have said that, in the wake of inflation hitting a thirty year high of 5.5 per cent in January, a typical pensioner is set to see their income fall by £171.60 this year in real terms. This is a total loss of income of £3,184,724 between 18,559 pensioners in Angus following the decision to scrap the triple lock on pensions.

Analysis by the Liberal Democrats has shown this broken promise will wipe out the “paltry support” being offered by the government to help pensioners cope with soaring energy bills.

Pensioners who qualify for a council tax rebate will be left over £20 poorer in real terms, while those on the New State Pension will be “left short-changed” by £76.20. It means retirees in Angus are facing a £400,874 gulf between lost pension income and support, with that gulf set to widen further with the Bank of England forecasting inflation in April of 7.25 per cent.

Angus Liberal Democrats are calling on the Government to guarantee a fairer increase to the state pension. The party is also calling for a doubling and expansion to the Warm Home Discount, giving 12,356 households in Angus £300 each off their heating bills this year and a doubling of the Winter Fuel Allowance, to the benefit of 17,140 households.

Rod Falconer, Lib Dem candidate for Arbroath West, Letham and Friockheim, said: “These figures expose a black hole in the Government’s cost of living package for pensioners.

“In breaking their manifesto promise and failing to protect the state pension, the Conservatives have plunged older people in Angus into the depths of a cost of living crisis.

“Their paltry support doesn’t even begin to cover the additional costs people are facing during this cold and bitter winter.

“Pensioners are among the most vulnerable people in Angus. This out of touch Government has left them out in the cold, with a hole in their pocket and even harsher days ahead.

“It’s high time the Government showed some common sense and ensured a fair increase to the state pension.

"But we also need to see something much more ambitious to help pensioners in Angus.”​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​