David Inglis was reacting to the States’ vote on Friday that would leave all States spending, including from social security funds, able to increase each year by no more than the annual rate of inflation.
If confirmed when the States meets again after its summer break, senior committee presidents have warned that this approach could lead to more charges for healthcare or care beds and even cuts to the value of the old age pension.
Mr Inglis said that such moves were bound to cause a lot of concern among the elderly community, and said they would be a ‘double whammy’ for older islanders.
‘Supported Living and Ageing Well is a superb title. The States wants people to age well,’ he said.
‘Well then don’t put them under the pressure of stress, because you are going to stop the money that they rely on. Money which many of them are still paying tax on.
‘I think most accept [paying tax] but to now carry on and threaten to take some of it away from them is over the top.
‘Sometimes it feels like the first response to balancing the States' books is to hit the older generation.
‘Why don’t the States talk to Guernsey’s senior citizens before making far-reaching decisions which could badly affect their lives?’
Mr Inglis said that Age Concern had really noticed how the cost-of-living crisis had impacted its members in recent years.
He said that last winter it received a lot of applications for heating grants which, when scrutinised, came from islanders struggling to buy food.
‘They are talking about a spending freeze for three years but it will bite for a lot longer than that, because you’ve got money coming in, and money going out, and the money going out is rising all of the time,’ he said.
‘It is very sad because a lot of the pensioners struggling are single and there is no one around to help them.’
The surprise vote came following debate on an amendment to the tax reform plans which was drawn up by Deputy Andy Sloan and ultimately laid by Deputies Mark Helyar and Haley Camp.
Deputy Camp defended the move on social media yesterday.
‘There is no appetite to ensure taxpayer money is spent as well as it can be, which makes amendments like this so important. They highlight the spend, spend, spend mentality that will render tax increases poorly utilised.’
Deputy Bury said that she did not vote for the proposal, which would see increases in all States spending held at no more than the annual rate of inflation.
‘It seems sensible and prudent, the States must tighten their belts is a message heard loud and clear,’ she said.
‘But when you have spending that goes up due to demand, this doesn’t work. More pensions, more low income households, more unwell people means more spend.
‘The simple fact is if we have to pay more people with the same amount of money as the amendment directs, the only way to do it is to pay each person less.’