Pensioner Poverty increases for the first time since 1998
It should be a national scandal that according to a government report, pensioner poverty has increased for the first time since 1998, rising by 300,000 to 2.5 million. The number of children living in poverty also rose by 100,000 in 2006/7.
The number of children and pensioners in poverty is even greater if the cost of housing is taken into account i.e. rent/mortgage. Why wouldn’t housing be taken into account one has to ask? The simple answer is to keep the figures as low as possible….
Sadly that whilst the press were happy to shout about chid poverty increasing, there was very little, if any mention about pensioner poverty, yet the figures have risen by 300,000, surely worth some press coverage.
These figures are released at a time when all costs are rising. Its summer now when some are at least able to reduce their heating costs. However in a few months it will be colder and we must begin to think of those who are going to have to make hard choices, food, warmth, care? Really is this how Britons in 2008 should have to juggle their resources to survive?
According to Ivan Lewis, Health Minister, ‘In the next decade elder care will be the new childcare and its essential our policies properly meet the scale of the challenge.’ I hate to tell you this Ivan Lewis but we need to be able to meet the challenge of caring for our current older population. There is so much future gazing and trying to terrify everyone by forecasting huge numbers of increasingly older people that no-one appears to be able to concentrate on providing for those who are here now. We are not convinced by the argument that increasing numbers of older people in the future means that you reduce services now….the gerontologists at Kings College last week were at pains to point out that there was no economic argument for future fear-mongering.
If pensioners received an adequate pension, they would be able to choose what they spent it on, with the ability to purchase sufficient warmth and food with something left for socialising. They may not need so much health and social care, goodness they may even be able to enjoy life without the worry of how they are to pay for essentials.
June 12th, 2008 at 8:32 pm
Di,
As promised I have logged on and read your blog, and I am as ever enthrawled in everything you have to say.
So lovely to have spent time with you both again.
All our love, Joanne Tom and boys xx