ONCE again this wretched Government is waging war on pensioners.

 


It encourages pensioners to save to provide for a reasonably comfortable old age – let’s face it, you could not live and pay bills, fuel and clothing on £120 per week.

 


So you save. Then they decide your savings will be means-tested, so your prescriptions, bus pass and fuel allowance can thus be cut, removed or, if you are lucky, left alone.
 

Bear in mind that, as you age, you need more medication and at over £7 an item that’s one hefty pop – mine, for example, would be well over £28.
Not all pensioners drive. Some do and struggle to put the fuel in the car. And if you live in a remote area you need a car – I don’t drive – my bus pass is my lifeline (one of my disabled friends has to have taxis and since the tokens were stopped, is much out-of-pocket, as she can’t use a bus!).
Yes, I agree. A cap must be put on care charges for OAPs which are, in some cases, extortionate. Some OAPs are well off and they have worked and saved hard to be so. They could perhaps be given the choice of refusing their fuel allowance. If they have a work pension with their state pension, that is taxed at source. And don’t forget, once you get to 80, you are given a handsome 25p!


MPs, of course, will have a very good income for their old age. But perhaps (as I suspect) that will not be means-tested.
I honestly dread being a really aged OAP, and I take my hat off to them when I watch them trying to balance the books when shopping.
I struggled for four years on means-tested benefits when I lost my first husband. I remarried. I put a bit by for my dotage. Looks like I made one hell of a mistake. If I get to be 85 or so, shoot me. I sure as hell probably won’t be able to live!
 

Cut back on foreign aid and other things. But give the OAPs a break, please.
 

 

 

DOROTHY HOLLOWAY,
Wenrisc Drive,
Minster Lovell