MANY people's thoughts are already turning to preparations for Christmas and the New Year. For those on low incomes like older people, it may be a time of stress as they struggle to balance essential spending with extra expenses like gifts for grandchildren and special family meals.
We at Age Concern will continue to campaign for a basic state pension of at least £90 a week, because we believe avoiding poverty should mean that older people are able to enjoy some festivities without worrying about how they will pay for a heating or water bill.
In the meantime, we are again encouraging older people to maximise their incomes by checking they are getting all benefits to which they are entitled. Any older person or their relative can call freephone 0800 00 99 66 to request our free factsheet 'A Brief Guide To Money Benefits'.
We would also be interested to hear from older people on a low income about how they budget for and celebrate Christmas. Anyone interested in sharing their experiences and views should write to Rhian Beynon, Public Affairs Department, Age Concern England, 1268 London Road, London SW 1 6 4ER. We will respond to every letter we receive.
Rhian Beynon
Public Affairs
Age Concern England
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article