hands off our triple lock, hunt
Fury as No11 hints at a worse deal for OAPs
Jeremy Hunt has been slammed after he suggested the triple lock on pensions could be axed.
The Tory Chancellor threatened to end the link between pensions and earnings and inflation unless economic growth makes it possible to keep it.
The move was slammed by Age Scotland, which warned Hunt to keep his “hands off ”.
Labour peer George Foulkes said getting rid of the pensions triple lock would be a “betrayal” and would hurt them in the election.
Under the triple lock, the state pension rises each year in line with the highest out of 2.5 per cent, wage rises or inflation. It was promised in the 2019 Tory election manifesto.
Asked whether the Government would need to think again about the triple lock and pension age as the population gets older, Hunt said: “Both of those things are kept under review.”
He added: “I would say probably the answer to that question is very contingent on how successful we are.
“So if we are able to run public services more efficiently, if we are able to increase our long-term growth rate then it’s entirely possible that we can continue to have the levels of public provision that we currently have and the support for pensioners and I very much hope that’s the case.”
No11’s comments were blasted by older people’s charity Age Scotland. Director of policy, communications and external affairs Adam Stachura said the triple lock was “vital”.
He said: “The message from older people to politicians is very clear on this. Hands off the triple lock.
“You can’t overstate how absolutely vital this support is for hundreds of thousands of pensioners in Scotland who rely on the State Pension for all or most of their income and attempt to keep up with the surging inflation and paying for life’s essentials.”