MPs lash out after council tries to scrap the chequebook

MPs are looking to curb the influence of the Payments Council following the recent dispute over the replacement of cheques.

Call to scrap retirement age

By politics.co.uk staff The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has called for the state retirement age to be scrapped as part of “radical change” helping older people keep working. Its proposals for “fundamental changes to employment policies” include extending the right to flexible working for all, improving training and development and overhauling employment recruitment […]

‘Scandalous’ lack of care home places

The number of homes equipped to care for dementia sufferers – and places in those homes – are falling dramatically, according to figures uncovered by the Conservatives. The number of people with dementia is expected to increase by 240,000 by 2021, and projected to reach 1,735,087 by 2051. But the number of homes able to […]

Energy prices could fuel winter death rate

Concerns have been raised about the current level of energy prices, with Help the Elderly saying it could prompt a spike in winter deaths. Many people over 60 have expressed fears about being unable to heat their home all winter, according to poll of 2,300 people by the charity. The UK has one of the […]

Oldest and poorest worst hit by inflation

The oldest and poorest UK pensioners are suffering disproportionately from inflation, with rates double that of non-pensioners. According to the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS), the most impoverished pensioners have an average inflation rate of nine per cent, compared to 5.4 per cent for non-pensioners. The Liberal Democrats say the figures prove that pensioners are […]

Tory: Pensioners should clean the streets

Pensioners should clean the streets to earn extra cash, a Conservative candidate for the next election has said. Gordon Henderson, who will challenge the Sittingbourne and Sheppey seat, made the suggestion while helping a local council team clean unwanted items from houses in the area. “I am sure there are pensioners out there who would […]

Equality bill expected to outlaw age discrimination

Government leaks suggest tomorrow’s single equality bill may outlaw discrimination on the basis of age. Reports were circulating at the weekend that the government may be about to listen to the calls of elderly campaigners who have long called for age discrimination to be included in Labour’s tough equality agenda. Those reports have been building […]

822 pensioners a day fall into poverty

Three hundred thousand pensioners have fallen into poverty over the last year, the government has revealed. The data means 822 pensioners become poverty-stricken every day. Mervyn Kohler, special adviser for Help the Aged, said: “When older people live on a fixed income it is virtually impossible for them to pull themselves out of poverty. “Pensioners […]

Brown accused of backtracking on age discrimination

Prime minister Gordon Brown has been accused of backtracking on his commitment to eradicating age discrimination by a leading elderly rights group. Help the Aged’s director of policy and external relations says the government is struggling to meet its commitment to tackling the “rampant ageism” which he says remains “rife” in the UK. The attack […]

Elderly suffering discrimination, says charity

Sixty-one per cent of people in the UK believe people are treated worse the older they get, according to new research by the charity Help the Aged. The research comes as groups representing the elderly lobby the government to include older people in its forthcoming equality bill. “Despite millions of older people being subjected to […]