A new report shows that pensioners in Southport have missed out on over £13m worth of pension credits since the last election.


Across the UK, the poorest pensioners have not received £7 billion of Pension Credit during the same period, meaning vulnerable people are being left without much-needed income.



New analysis by Grant Thornton UK LLP for the charity Independent Age has found the Pension Credit scandal to be widespread, with the worst affected region being the North West which has over 170,000 pensioner households missing out.


This comes on top of a social care system already in crisis as the impact of nearly a decade of cuts by the Lib Dems and Tories to council budgets has resulted in falling care quality and care packages being cut or rationed.



Labour’s Parliamentary candidate for Southport, Liz Savage, said local pensioners should be made aware of their entitlements:


“ The government is just keeping quiet and sitting on this money. The latest figures from the charty show £6,521,000 went unclaimed in Southport constituency in 2016/17, which is a significant sum. Based on that, it means since then nearly £20m has failed to reach some of the most vulnerable members of our local community.



Older people in Southport should check whether they are eligible for pension credit to ensure that they are getting what they are entitled to. Of course, this also now affects whether they will qualify for a free TV licence, another responsibility the government has side-stepped.




This Conservative government seems happy for this situation to continue, as it's too chaotic and too busy looking after itself to look after the people in our communities who need it most.”


Jack Dromey MP, Labour’s Shadow Pensions Minister, said:


“The last Labour Government cut pensioner poverty consistently because we introduced Pension Credit, but the Tories have callously allowed pensioner poverty to rise once again.


“The Tories’ idea for encouraging people to apply for Pension Credit – an “online toolkit” – would be laughable if this wasn’t so serious. No one should be surprised that usage of that website has drastically declined.


“The Government must right this wrong immediately and do more to increase take-up of Pension Credit.”

Here we go again - once again a politico comes on here bleating about how awful the other lot are instead of suggesting how the problem can be overcome.

Here's a simple suggestion, without having to put too much thought into it - and - I'm not saying it's perfect but it's better than the constant negativity from all the political 'elite'.
Families and friends do what they're supposed to do and help with the claim process. Those who don't have anyone can be identified and Volunteers/Councillors/Age Concern etc could help them.
If Ms Savage is implying that the on-line application protocol, implemented by those hateful Tories, will be rescinded by a future Labour Government, then she is living in cloud cuckoo land (something I've rather suspected to be the case for some time now).

No political party can claim any glory for pensions over the last forty years - here's a snap shot of average increases per year -

1979 - 1996 - 19 years - Conservative - single - £2.23 married - £3.56

1997 - 2009 - 12 years - Labour - single £2.73 married - £4.38

2010 - 2019 - 9 years -Conservative/Lib Dem - single £3.50 married - £5.61

Originally Posted by gazaprop

Here we go again - once again a politico comes on here bleating about how awful the other lot are instead of suggesting how the problem can be overcome.

Here's a simple suggestion, without having to put too much thought into it - and - I'm not saying it's perfect but it's better than the constant negativity from all the political 'elite'.
Families and friends do what they're supposed to do and help with the claim process. Those who don't have anyone can be identified and Volunteers/Councillors/Age Concern etc could help them.
If Ms Savage is implying that the on-line application protocol, implemented by those hateful Tories, will be rescinded by a future Labour Government, then she is living in cloud cuckoo land (something I've rather suspected to be the case for some time now).

No political party can claim any glory for pensions over the last forty years - here's a snap shot of average increases per year -

1979 - 1996 - 19 years - Conservative - single - £2.23 married - £3.56

1997 - 2009 - 12 years - Labour - single £2.73 married - £4.38

2010 - 2019 - 9 years -Conservative/Lib Dem - single £3.50 married - £5.61

It's interesting how people see what they want to see in these sort of articles... I include myself in that btw. We all have agendas, whether conscious or sub conscious, and tend to see what we look for.

IMHO ...

Basically the article is around a Charity commissioned report which indicates pensioners are missing out on benefits.

The author of the article (not Ms Savage) cleverly sets the tone by stating ...

Originally Posted by roving-eye

This comes on top of a social care system already in crisis as the impact of nearly a decade of cuts by the Lib Dems and Tories to council budgets has resulted in falling care quality and care packages being cut or rationed.

Then Ms Savage is attributed to the following comment ...

Originally Posted by roving-eye

Labour’s Parliamentary candidate for Southport, Liz Savage, said local pensioners should be made aware of their entitlements:

“The government is just keeping quiet and sitting on this money. The latest figures from the charty show £6,521,000 went unclaimed in Southport constituency in 2016/17, which is a significant sum. Based on that, it means since then nearly £20m has failed to reach some of the most vulnerable members of our local community.

Older people in Southport should check whether they are eligible for pension credit to ensure that they are getting what they are entitled to. Of course, this also now affects whether they will qualify for a free TV licence, another responsibility the government has side-stepped.

This Conservative government seems happy for this situation to continue, as it's too chaotic and too busy looking after itself to look after the people in our communities who need it most.”

Ok, a bit of a dig about TV licences, and a statement about the current government not being proactive enough on this matter, but the message about people missing out is clear enough. You make it sound like all she is trying to do is slag off the current government, which is clearly not the case.

Article then goes on to quote Jack Dromey MP, Labour’s Shadow Pensions Minister, who mentions an increase in pensioner poverty and then cricises the current online system (which, and by your earlier comments about families/friends helping out, I'm sure you'll agree that it could well be inaccessible to a lot of those people who would need to use it) and finishes up with the valid point ...

Originally Posted by roving-eye

“The Government must right this wrong immediately and do more to increase take-up of Pension Credit.”

You make valid points about families/friends should help here (yes, can't argue with that, assuming they themselves are capable of doing this) but then go on to say those who don't (have family/friends to help) should be identified and other groups could/should help them ... how exactly is that going to work then?

Seriously, how IS that going to work?

Who can identify these people who are eligible for this Pension Credit ... well, bit of a long shot I know, but you'd think that the government would have all the details they need on their records !

If they don't want to process these benefits automatically, surely the government could release the details NOW of those people who are eligible to claim (to those organisations which would help) therefore doing more NOW to help those who are currently missing out ... that, in essence is what I get from that article i.e. the government is capable of and could do more to assist with this matter.

You paint the article as one party having a go at the other, and fair enough you are entitled to your opinion. That said, in my opinion, you have perhaps been too quick to dismiss and you make it sound as if there's an easy answer which doesn't require the government doing more... all I'm doing is trying to offer a balance here.

I always love a yarn with Jack Dromey's tawdry name in it. He sounds so self-righteous despite only having his job because his missus, Harriet Hardon, pulled strings for Labour's All Women Shortlist to be abandoned when the safe seat came up - so the seat could be gifted to her All Male husband. Perhaps Ms Harman and the comrades thought the Brummies needed a man for the job?

Originally Posted by AdmiralAckbar

It's interesting how people see what they want to see in these sort of articles... I include myself in that btw. We all have agendas, whether conscious or sub conscious, and tend to see what we look for.

IMHO ...

Basically the article is around a Charity commissioned report which indicates pensioners are missing out on benefits.

The author of the article (not Ms Savage) cleverly sets the tone by stating ...


Then Ms Savage is attributed to the following comment ...


Ok, a bit of a dig about TV licences, and a statement about the current government not being proactive enough on this matter, but the message about people missing out is clear enough. You make it sound like all she is trying to do is slag off the current government, which is clearly not the case.

Article then goes on to quote Jack Dromey MP, Labour’s Shadow Pensions Minister, who mentions an increase in pensioner poverty and then cricises the current online system (which, and by your earlier comments about families/friends helping out, I'm sure you'll agree that it could well be inaccessible to a lot of those people who would need to use it) and finishes up with the valid point ...


You make valid points about families/friends should help here (yes, can't argue with that, assuming they themselves are capable of doing this) but then go on to say those who don't (have family/friends to help) should be identified and other groups could/should help them ... how exactly is that going to work then?

Seriously, how IS that going to work?

Who can identify these people who are eligible for this Pension Credit ... well, bit of a long shot I know, but you'd think that the government would have all the details they need on their records !

If they don't want to process these benefits automatically, surely the government could release the details NOW of those people who are eligible to claim (to those organisations which would help) therefore doing more NOW to help those who are currently missing out ... that, in essence is what I get from that article i.e. the government is capable of and could do more to assist with this matter.

You paint the article as one party having a go at the other, and fair enough you are entitled to your opinion. That said, in my opinion, you have perhaps been too quick to dismiss and you make it sound as if there's an easy answer which doesn't require the government doing more... all I'm doing is trying to offer a balance here.

Yeah, well since Ms.Savage's photo is featured yet again - we would assume that Ms. Savage is annoyed at the situation. And since the Labour Party are quick to shove leaflets through one's door at election time - why not do the same to inform pensioners who are all missing out on the Pension Credit Scheme? Action speaks louder than words!
"Labour’s Parliamentary candidate for Southport, Liz Savage, said local pensioners should be made aware of their entitlements:"
It may be closer to the truth, that many pensioners ARE aware of the scheme, but since this is a means tested benefit, perhaps these not so stupid pensioners don't want to be associated with it!

'You paint the article as one party having a go at the other, and fair enough you are entitled to your opinion. That said, in my opinion, you have perhaps been too quick to dismiss and you make it sound as if there's an easy answer which doesn't require the government doing more... all I'm doing is trying to offer a balance here.'

Admiral - I take your point on her referencing the report but my beef was -she then couldn't help herself as she seemed to realise 'crikey, I forgot to have a go at the Tories'.
Generally speaking they're all as bad as each other - the Lib Dems are probably worse than Labour with the negative whining and Damien Moore seems hell bent on perfecting his front of camera skills for the next Jacamo catalogue.

My suggestion wasn't intended as a silver bullet to the issue, more a starting point to highlight that positivity rather than negativity would be preferable to the constant whining from all sides.

Originally Posted by gazaprop

My suggestion wasn't intended as a silver bullet to the issue, more a starting point to highlight that positivity rather than negativity would be preferable to the constant whining from all sides.

Your suggestion was valid and as I said, if the family/friends were capable then there was little argument there, just needing some sort of a safety net for those without that help.

I take your point about positivity/negativity and yes, it does grate on me also when I see any politicians slag off the opposition, and as you say, some do this more than others.

That said, if I went home tonight and said to the missus "we need a new tv/car/or whatever" the 1st response I would likely get is "what's wrong with the one we've got?" - most responses to that question would/could be deemed as negative towards the current situation... pointing out the wrong to try and make something right.

Sometimes we all need to take a moment to separate the wheat from the chaff, and try and identify what the person is actually trying to say ... it's not easy at times, and on this occasion I do think there was an issue worth pursuing.

This Pension Credit is one of those "benefits" where the government agencies already have the information to determine whether an individual is eligible - I mean, how else could they answer yes/no to any application? ... so why don't they trawl their database and give a list to a suitable organisation to actually advise those people they are eligible and assist them to get it.

'Sometimes we all need to take a moment to separate the wheat from the chaff, and try and identify what the person is actually trying to say ... it's not easy at times, and on this occasion I do think there was an issue worth pursuing.'

'This Pension Credit is one of those "benefits" where the government agencies already have the information to determine whether an individual is eligible - I mean, how else could they answer yes/no to any application? ... so why don't they trawl their database and give a list to a suitable organisation to actually advise those people they are eligible and assist them to get it.'

Can't disagree and, we've rather made the point for what I suggested was the better way in that - if I can come up with a valid idea on what to do - and you come back with a better way of going about it - well - you know the rest.

I agree she has a valid point to make and, others with a political bent will have their points to get across, but - they will turn off many more than they draw in with the na nana nah approach currently in vogue.

Its out there, it's not for us to guide and take you there.
Stop complaining just because we are getting older
stop pampering us . Get in the real world.