Older voters will be judging election candidates on whether they support specific policies to meet the needs of the over-60s, the National Pensioners Convention has said.

Setting out its own policies for older people, the campaign group put increasing the basic state pension to £109.45 a week for all pensioners at the top of its list of priorities.

Other key issues include a restoration of the link between pensions and average earnings and the provision of free long-term care.

The NPC is also seeking the replacement of the council tax with a fairer system based on the ability to pay and an end to age discrimination in the provision of all goods and services.

Campaign members are now sending a survey to all candidates asking them for their support on the policies.

Responses from the candidates will be publicised locally and nationally before election day in a bid to encourage older voters to push for support of the policies.

"For the first time in electoral history, pensioners in every constituency are asking their candidates if they will support a pensioners' manifesto," said George Henderson, chairman NPC Scotland.

"This is an ambitious and radical plan that will help put the concerns of older people right at the heart of the election campaign.

"Candidates should think carefully how they respond because it could affect their chances of getting to Westminster.

"This is real pensioner power which the parties will not be able to ignore."

Henderson pointed to the fact that Britain's 11 million pensioners are more likely to vote in the general election than other age groups.

"Older people are twice as likely to turn out and vote as those aged 18 to 24 and research shows that many of them are prepared to switch their vote if they like what the parties are saying," he added.

"This time pensioners could make a real difference as to who gets elected and the politicians will have to either back our manifesto or pack their bags."