‘We all need to live!’ Britons overwhelming name for £320 weekly state pension

May 25, 2023 at 4:41 PM

Silver Voices marketing campaign group for senior residents within the UK has steered that the state pension is elevated to a weekly minimum of £320, equal to £1,280 a month, to make sure that Britons will not be depending on Pension Credit.

Director Dennis Reed mentioned that the proposed price can be a “realistic and sustainable” determine, which relies on half the common weekly earnings within the UK. He mentioned that the rise can be paid for partially by the scrapping of the Pension Credit which at present tops up the funds of low-income pensioners.

A new Express.co.uk poll has discovered {that a} staggering 96 p.c of readers assist such reforms.

Mr Reed defined: “If political parties are serious about tackling pensioner poverty and stopping premature deaths through hypothermia and malnutrition, then they must introduce a pension which is sufficient for life’s essentials. No pensioner household, having paid their taxes and national insurance for all their working lives, should be forced to claim benefits in order to survive.

“Every older person should receive a basic income sufficient to heat their homes and feed their households, without having to apply for a top-up benefit. Lip service by politicians to the right to a dignified retirement is no longer acceptable to senior citizens, they must deliver the wherewithal.”

In response, Express.co.uk ran a poll from 11am on Tuesday, May 23 to 3pm on Thursday, May 25, asking readers: “Should the state pension be increased to a minimum of £320 a week?”

A complete of 5,525 votes had been solid with a staggering 96 p.c (5,321 folks) answering “yes” it needs to be elevated. Whereas three p.c (171 folks) mentioned “no” and one p.c (33 folks) mentioned they didn’t know.

In the feedback left under the accompanying article readers discussed whether the pension system should be reformed in this way.

The predominant response amongst readers was in assist of the modifications. Username exprssym4n1 mentioned: “Absolutely. No civilised society pays pensioners half the living wage, the minimum wage they say you need to avoid poverty, and expects them to live on it. Saving for retirement should be a luxury top-up not an essential.”

Another, username 331 defined: “I think that I’d manage a lot better with £320 per week. I can’t claim pension credit and I worked from the age of just under 16 until I was 68. If all pensioners got the same amount and do away with Pension Credit it would be a lot fairer for pensioners who can’t claim it. I worked all my life and paid into the system for what? We only want what’s right and fair.”

And username CubaSteve added: “All pensioners should get £320 per week, even those who didn’t pay their full 30-year stamp. We all need to live.”

Meanwhile, username ValBrooker remarked: “Yep, it’s become pretty obvious over the past decade that the Government isn’t in the slightest bit interested in sorting out poverty, least of all in pensioners.”

However, some readers argued that the speed wouldn’t be ample, with username timeboy1 arguing: “It’s still not enough, power and food prices have already outstripped increases given and surpassed this £320 figure.”

Likewise, username THEBOSS commented: “It will still be less than the minimum wage.”

Others had reservations about rising the speed on this manner. Username countryandtown mentioned: “This is a ridiculous idea,…if you haven’t saved for your own retirement don’t expect others to fund it, you’ll just have to keep working and earning.”

Username Grimuphere has an identical view, writing: “If everyone over pension age got the same £320 pension regardless of their contributions, why would anybody bother to work over their previous 50 years?”

And username mabel warned: “Be careful what you wish for. It will just mean that all pensioners will pay more in income tax.”