‘Savage targeting’ of elderly with axing of telephone allowance

Both the opposition and elderly groups have accused the Government of “savagely targeting” pensioners and putting them at risk in their homes as they won’t be able to use life-saving pendant security alarms — now the telephone allowance is to be cut.

There has been a ferocious reaction to cuts to the elderly in 2014 which include the removal of the telephone allowance, a five-fold rise in prescription charges from €1.50 to €2.50, the lowering of medical card thresholds for more than 35,000 over 70s, the reduction of tax relief on health insurance, and the abolition of the bereavement grant.

According to Fianna Fáil, the abolition of the telephone allowance will affect more than 394,671 people, including the old, the disabled, and carers.