Age Concern's response to call for pensions link to earnings

Monday April 24, 2006

In response to Frank Field's call on the prime minister to seize the 'chance of a lifetime' to reform Britain's pensions system, Age Concern's Director-General Gordon Lishman said: "The Government must grasp this golden opportunity to radically reform the pensions system. A bold White Paper is urgently needed which addresses the needs of women, carers, low paid workers and those without access to a second pension. At the heart of this, there should be a higher basic state pension which rises in line with average earnings or GDP growth to reflect the nation's prosperity and ensure that pensioners do not get poorer the longer they live.”