UP to 5,430 Warrington pensioners aged 70 or more, could soon miss out on Legal Aid funded advice about writing a will, according to a borough councillor.
The Government’s controversial Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill has finally gained Royal Assent and will come into force in April next year. 
The government s scrapping Legal Aid funded employment advice, most areas of housing and debt advice unless there is an immediate threat to losing the home, and most benefit appeals advice.
Around £156,000 annual investment will be taken out of Warrington’s economy and up to eight jobs in the advice sector will be at risk, says Cllr Hitesh Patel.
Cllr Patel is Warrington Borough Council’s executive members for personnel and communications and also responsible for equality and diversity at the council.
He said: “This Coalition Government already hit pensioners in their last budget by announcing they were scrapping much needed enhanced tax allowances when at the same time reducing the tax rates for millionaires.
“So to now take away the right to get help to write a will is yet another kick in the teeth for Warrington’s older population. It would not surprise me if the Tory-Lib Dem Coalition sees this as a way to raise more money because the more people who die without a will the more chance there is for the estate to get passed on to the Government’s coffers!”
Cllr Patel also hit out at a plan to significantly reduce Legal Aid funded disability benefits advice, a move that the Government claims will save up to £28 million but which researchers at Kings College, London say may only realise around £12 million of savings.
“Everyone knows that as you get older your health begins to suffer and there is a greater chance you develop a disability.
“Forty per cent of all Government decisions to withdraw much needed disability benefits are subsequently overturned on appeal to the Tribunal so scrapping the right to get independent legal advice is yet another money-pinching ploy which attacks the rights of many older and disabled people to get justice.”
5,430 pensioners to lose out
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Gary Skentelbery
Experienced journalist for more than 40 years. Managing Director of magazine publishing group with three in-house titles and on-line daily newspaper for Warrington. Experienced writer, photographer, PR consultant and media expert having written for local, regional and national newspapers. Specialties: PR, media, social networking, photographer, networking, advertising, sales, media crisis management. Chair of Warrington Healthwatch Director Warrington Chamber of Commerce Patron Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Foundation for Peace. Trustee Warrington Disability Partnership. Former Chairman of Warrington Town FC.
6 Comments
All very well. However, if Councillor Patel wants to campaign on behalf of local Pensioners he should do something about the much heralded future pension of £140 per week. He, along with those advcating this move, should try living on £140 a week. Compare pensions in the EU and even Greece looks after is older residents better than the UK!
How many of those 5430 are on decent pensions and can well afford to pay for advice on writing a will themselves.
Age does not always equal poverty, thus the ludicrous position of Lord Sugar and other wealthy people being entitled to winter fuel payments (which, to his credit, Lord Sugar tried to stop)
This would be the Greece that is bankrupt, would it, probably explains why, and why Greece is now cutting all state payouts. With regards to UK pensions, I understand that the standard minimum guarantee for a single person is £142.70 and for a couple is £217.90 per week. I understand that proposals are being put forward to raise the guarantee level. With regards to will writing, isn’t it the case that to want to do so means that you must have assets to share out, and therefore not poor in absolute terms.
I do so agree with this comment. Are you also aware that businessmen/women over 60 are also able to use the senior rail pass to get cheap travel anywhere, even for business purposes? The rail pass is not means tested and is relatively cheap, so you have wealthy business people not paying full fare for their journeys. I don’t think this was the original intention!
Legal Aid is a means tested “support” for people like pensioners and the disabled, who are already on very low incomes (i.e. getting Income Support or Pensioner Credit), to be able to get decent legal advice because they wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford to pay a solicitor £100 an hour if their pension/household income is just £100-£200 a week.
I would not think that a ‘poor’ pensioner would own much of value and whatever they leave after their death is usually divided by (mostly) agreement among the family left behind, or given to some charity or other. If a pensioner is more fortunate and has some considerable assets to leave then he/she cannot be classed as poor. So, please Mr Patel, don’t use poor pensioners not being able to make a will to strengthen your case.
Death can come knocking on your door at any age. Therefor if you have enogh assets to justify leaving a will (or even if poor) all adults of sound mind should make a will at an early age and not leave it until old age.
Making a will need not be expensive, does not necessarily need the aid of an overpaid solicitor, does not need to be written on expensive paper. You can write a will on pages torn from a cheap excercise book as long as you make certain to leave all items/wealth you possess and make clear the people you are leaving whatever to. Then sign it in front of two adult witnesses and have them sign that they witnessed your signature.
Maybe it would be a good idea for local newspapers to run an item about will making, with information that the will maker needs to take into consideration when writing a will.