Coalition warned to back off pensioners

Pensioners are having to choose between food and fuel and some are going to bed as early as 7pm to keep warm, Age Action said yesterday as it called on the Government not to touch the State pension or free travel pension in the upcoming budget.

It said some elderly people can no longer afford to keep their pet and others have had to stop meeting friends because they can not afford a cup of tea in a cafe.

Age Action said pensioners have been hit in four ways: With new taxes and charges; cuts to their income supports; rising prices for essential goods and services; and cuts to publicly funded services.

One elderly person reported in an Age Action pre-budget questionnaire that he uses a hot water bottle instead of turning on the heat and said: “No quality of life — no country for old people.”

Another said: “Have no choice but to do without,” and many reported that they only shop in the ‘reduced’ sections at supermarkets.

Launching its pre-budget submission, Age Action said the Government should reverse the changes to the household benefits package imposed last year, as well as the 38% cut imposed on the home adaptation grant. It said the living alone allowance should be maintained and those who have an income below €12,000 should be exempt from the property tax.

Age Action said the State pension must be kept, as it accounts for 60% of the income of people aged 65 to 74.

It said that, as well as having to deal with financial pressures, elderly people have had to contend with the closure of local post offices and banks and changes to transport services.

In March, many of the elderly in the pre-budget questionnaire said that, during the winter they could only put the heating on for a few hours in the evening.

The additional difficulty with the telephone allowance cut, it said, is that the personal alarm pendant system requires a working fixed land line to operate.

Age Action spokesman Eamon Timmins said: “Austerity is also taking a psychological toll on older people. Anxiety about further cuts and uncertainty about what the future holds were common among respondents, some of whom who felt they were being viewed as a burden on society.”