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22 April 2009 A sweet and sour Budget for older people Age Concern and Help the Aged response to the 2009 Budget Michelle Mitchell, Charity Director for Age Concern and Help the Aged, says: 'In a Budget for jobs, workers over 50 have once again slipped under the Government’s radar. With today’s figures showing unemployment among the over 50s rising at a higher rate than among any other age group (1), without targeted help for over 50s, ministers risk creating a lost generation of older people shut out of the job market and walking into a retirement blighted by pensioner poverty. 'Maintaining the Winter Fuel Payment, measures to help grandparents and help for low-income savers will provide cheer to pensioners in an otherwise gloomy Budget. But the failure to do more to tackle fuel poverty will continue to leave many pensioners out in the cold. 'More traineeships are welcome but the failure to provide emergency funding for our creaking social care system will exacerbate the current crisis. In an era of difficult financial choices, ministers must not use the recession as an excuse to starve the care system of funds it urgently needs or be distracted from much needed long-term reform.'
Notes to Editors: 1. Over the last year‚ unemployment has risen by 40% among the 50 plus age group‚ faster than any other age group (Labour Force Survey, April 2009). |
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