Labour's disgrace that pensioners getting poorer

9.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Fri 1st May 2009

Commenting on research from the Pensions Policy Institute (PPI) that reveals pensioners are getting relatively poorer as they get older, the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate for Hereford and South Herefordshire, Sarah Carr said:

"Labour's changes to the pension system will do nothing to prevent pensioners becoming poorer as they get older. Ministers have refused to say when the link between pensions and earnings will be restored. The basic state pension is simply too little to live on for the millions of pensioners who have no other income. Pensioners should not be forced to rely on complex means-tested benefits in their retirement, which has put many off from even claiming.

"We need a more generous, universal pension based on citizenship which would give all pensioners enough to live on, whatever their age. Fighting for the rights of pensioners is an issue I am very passionate about."