Pensions on the agenda

FRONT-line volunteers at Age Concern in Warrington got a chance to quiz a senior Liberal Democrat MP on pensions.
Steve Webb, the Lib Dem spokesman on work and pensions, dropped in at the Age Concern branch at Latchford to hear about issues facing Warrington’s older residents.
He was accompanied by Coun Jo Crotty, the Prospective Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate for Warrington South.
Mr Webb said: “Naturally, a lot of the talk focused on pensions.
“For people who are now retired, or who are approaching retirement, rules regarding pensions have changed countless times over the years.
“The forms are needlessly complicated and people have received poor advice about their pension entitlements.
“Groups like Age Concern are so valuable in trying to make sure older people have the information they need.
“It is simply wrong that the same people who worked hard and saved hard throughout their lives can end up in retirement with very little and can miss out on means-tested benefits.
Coun Crotty added: “Age Concern also need our support to make sure that older people can stay connected to their communities.
“Too often older people live a life of isolation. Age Concern’s volunteers do a wonderful job of providing ways for them to keep in touch and stay involved in the communities where many of them will have spent their whole lives.
“The Liberal Democrats want to see dignity for older people given the importance on the national agenda that it deserves. We are fighting to ensure older people can have decent pensions and a decent standard of living without being forced to jump through hoops and deal with layer after layer of bureaucracy.”
Picture show Jo Crotty (third from left), Steve Webb (fourth from left) and Age Concern’s Melissa Critchley (second from right) with volunteers and activists at Age Concern’s offices in Latchford.