OAPs at risk’ warning
THE lives of pensioners could be at risk this winter if the Government does not scrap council tax for the elderly immediately. The warning comes from Sandy resident and chairman of the Biggleswade and District Pensioners Associa-tion Ken Lynch. This week
THE lives of pensioners could be at risk this winter if the Government does not scrap council tax for the elderly immediately.
The warning comes from Sandy resident and chairman of the Biggleswade and District Pensioners' Associa-tion Ken Lynch.
This week Mr Lynch was behind a plan launched by the association and a similar organisation in Bedford urging local MPs to try to force the Government to axe council tax.
The group hopes pensioner power will force the Government to chop the tax and raise the basic state pension to £114 a week making living easier for the elderly.
During the next few Saturdays the association will be setting up a stall in Sandy and Biggleswade town centres urging pensioners to sign a protest letter to their MP demanding the changes.
"The Government needs to axe council tax now," said Mr Lynch who lives in Pyms Way.
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"Pensioners cannot afford to live and survive on their state pensions because of the high cost of living.
"The cost of just living is going up and up. Heating, lighting and water have gone up and so has the cost of food with the hot summer being blamed.
"Now winter is around the corner and forecasters are predicting a severe winter making the plight of pensioners even greater as they try to keep warm.
"Pensioners are now on the breadline and the Government has got to listen to us. Things are very serious and pensioners face the risk of dying if we have a severe winter because they just cannot afford to heat and feed themselves properly."
The protest group wants council tax to be replaced by a fairer basic local tax.
Mr Lynch will also be distributing 1,000 booklets compiled by the charity Help the Aged explaining pension credits and other benefits the elderly can claim.
