On the side of pensioners

A few weeks ago, I wrote about how we would protect pensioners in Halton, following some unprincipled scare-mongering by the Labour Party (http://benjaminjohnjones.blogspot.com/2010/02/labour-spin-on-bus-passes-for-halton.html).

I have included below some further details about our support for pensioners, and David Cameron's pensioners pledge.

We want to give people more choice over how they deal with their pension savings, more control over their income in retirement and more peace of mind in retirement:
• We will end the effective obligation to buy an annuity at 75;
• We will introduce a new home protection scheme to help stop people having to sell their homes to pay for residential care. Under this new voluntary scheme, people reaching retirement will have the option to pay a one-off joining fee (that we estimate will be around £8,000) in return for a guarantee that absolutely all fees for permanent residential care would be waived – for life.
• We will work with local councils to freeze council tax for two years and scrap Labour’s plans for an intrusive council tax revaluation of your home; and
• We will remove the stigma attached to council tax benefit by re-naming it council tax rebate.

As the election approaches, I expect Labour will continue to spread lies about my Party's policies, so let me make this absolutely clear:
• We will protect Disability Living Allowance for the over 65s and Attendance Allowance for pensioners;
• We will keep the winter fuel allowance;
• We will keep free TV licences for pensioners;
• We won’t cut the state pension;
• We won’t take away free bus passes for pensioners; and
• We will protect and respect the rights and security of social housing rents.