'Elderly will go cold if pension goes up by less'
ELDERLY people who are struggling to heat their homes in Guernsey will suffer severely under plans to cut the annual increase in the old age pension, Age Concern vice-chairman Roy Trustum has warned.
The gradual erosion of the pension value is one of a raft of benefits and contribution proposals from Social Security, which includes plans to scrap new grants for free TV licences for the elderly.
Mr Trustum warned that some elderly people were already struggling to afford food and heating at the same time and the States was helping less at a time when it should be doing more.
He warned that many pensioners were too proud to ask for assistance, including through the benefits system. 'You have got those in the winter time who won't put the heating on because they would not have enough money for food,' he said.
'These changes will affect pensioners and a lot will really, really suffer.'
Under the plans, to be debated by the States next month, Social Security has recommended pensions be uprated at a third of the increase in median earnings, with the intention to reduce this to RPIX inflation from 2025.
