Reinstating Pension triple lock vital to older people's wellbeing

The national charity for older people has written to John Lamont MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Scotland, ahead of the Autumn statement, highlighting the importance of reinstating the triple lock and uprating social security in line with inflation.

The charity says this is the number one ask of government from older people that they and partner charities are hearing and would provide some level of reassurance to hundreds of thousands of pensioners in Scotland, particularly those on low and modest incomes.

The charity has warned that, unless things change, increasing numbers of older people will find themselves with unmanageable debt due to severe pressure on their already stretched fixed incomes.

Age Scotland’s Deputy Chief Executive Michelle Supple said:

“The State Pension and social security are critical to so many older people as they make up all or most of what they live on.

“While the financial support packages from the UK Government have of course been very welcome and have gone some way to alleviating the full extent of the cost of living crisis, large numbers of older people are facing rising prices and inflation means that those with the least are still really struggling.

“We have been hearing from older people who skip meals, live in one room of their home, and do not use their heating systems in order to get by and survive. Many of them are terrified about what the coming winter months have in store.

“Re-committing to the State Pension triple lock and uprating social security payments in line with inflation will provide older people in Scotland them with a degree of certainty and go some way to help close the gap on their regular essential expenditure.

"We strongly believe that the UK Government must stick to repeated promises and its own manifesto commitment to do so. Ambiguity on this matter in recent months is causing confusion and eroding public trust.”