It falls short of giving security to the elderly

RETIRED primary school teacher Anne Drury yesterday said she did not believe the Budget had done enough to cushion older people from even further rises in energy costs and general price inflation next year.

‘The problem is that we don’t know what lies ahead,’ she said.

‘We don’t know if there will be future increases and how that will pan out.

‘I think the Government may have to come back with some future payments to offset that.

‘The Budget falls far short of giving older people security, independence and a quality of life, given the rising costs of living, particularly in energy costs, food and transport.’

Ms Drury, 68, lives in Multyfarnham, Co. Westmeath.

She said she felt lucky that she had been able to escape many of the fuel price hikes, due to having bought an electric car, which she plugs in at night-time for the lowest rate.

She also heats her house with a pellet burner, and said she had enough in stock to last her until December or January.

However, as president of Active Retirement Ireland, she said she knows many others who are not so fortunate.

‘Fuel poverty is experienced by many older people, who may also have issues with mobility or health and so are in their homes night and day,’ she said.

‘They are the people who are being impacted the most by these price rises, when they are trying to keep their homes adequately heated. Many older people are going to have a very difficult year ahead.’

Ms Drury said she feared the €12 increase in the State pension would not be enough to cover the rising cost of living, adding: ‘We’ll have to see how it goes. But people are managing on very tight budgets already.

‘This is only 2022, and we don’t know how we’re going to manage in 2023.

‘The pension increase will be quickly eroded by all of these increases, like the cost of food and transport.’

‘Very difficult year ahead’