No care shown for pensioners

We read about workers from the different sectors of the economy, from NHS staff to transport workers and so on, complaining their wages don’t cover their rising bills and rightly so.

But how many of them realise what it is really like to live on the basic old age pension?

The UK’S state pension is one of the lowest among comparable countries. Pension credit tops a single person’s income up to £187 a week. I defy anyone to live on that with inflation in double figures.

Then if you happen to be lucky enough to have a small additional private pension you lose out on all the other benefits. Pensioners have paid their dues all their working lives and are treated appallingly by this Government.

Carol Mcclymont

Newport, Monmouthshire

May I point out the amount you can earn before you start paying tax has not gone up so any pension increase would be negligible? I wonder how many pensioners are going to pass on before we get a raise?

The triple lock should not have been axed this year. The Government give themselves notable increases but they still can’t manage on their salaries, and claim expenses. How do they think ordinary people pay for things?

I personally have a long list of jobs that could do with sorting out but can’t afford to pay someone because I’m focused on just getting by each week.

Margaret Mcalister Rotherham, South Yorks

Congratulations to Ricky Tomlinson for speaking on behalf of the elderly (Mirror, Nov 15). Apparently, according to some experts, the state pension is a benefit. Did people pay National Insurance all their working lives to get any other benefits? No.

I am a senior citizen myself and I find it hard to survive on the small pension I receive. I started work at 15 and paid in my stamps sometimes more than needed to provide for my retirement.

We should support all our senior citizens and be eternally grateful for everything they have done for this country. Sue Powell, Hove, Brighton

If reports about the Autumn Statement are to be believed, working people and pensioners will be the ones hardest hit once again. With tax levels being frozen, it doesn’t matter how much pay increases since a chunk of anything earned over the tax limit is taken back by the Treasury.

What the Government gives with one hand, it takes away with the other and so we’re no better off. Kenneth G Rheeston, South Yardley, Birmingham

We pensioners have worked all our lives and paid into the state pension scheme. It is not a benefit, it is a right.

We were robbed of the triple lock this year even though it was in the Tories’ 2019 election manifesto. They promise the earth and give nothing. They are not to be trusted.

We already have one of the lowest state pensions in Europe. The next election can’t come fast enough for me. Alan Bryan, Walsall, West Mids

What have we women born in the 1950s done to upset this Government? Next December, when I turn 66, I will finally, hopefully, receive my state pension.

We have already had six years of our pensions stolen from us. Do they not think that women over the age of 60 have the vote?

Susan Liang

Morden, South London

So, Liz Truss has left the economy with a £55billion black hole to be filled by us, the taxpayers. And all self-inflicted by the 81,326 Tory members who voted for her.

John Newman

Ashington, Northumberland