Action group urges action on pensions

A ROTHERHAM pensioners’ group has added its voice to calls on the Government to protect the value of pensions.

The town’s Pensioners’ Action Group is concerned about Government proposals to link the updating of annual pensions to the Consumer Prices Index inflation measure instead of the Retail Prices Index.

The CPI is consistently lower than the RPI, which would mean that pensioners will see a long-term decline in the real value of their pensions, they say.

By 2016, the state pension would be approximately £114.22p per week if CPI was used, compared with £120.96 if the RPI measure was used.

The issue will be top of the agenda at this year’s annual National Pensioners’ Parliament in June, when Pensions Minister Steve Webb is due to speak.

Chairman of RPAG, Keith Billington, said: “We hope Mr Webb will make an appearance this year, as last year he was “too busy” to talk to the biggest gathering of pensioners in the country.

“This proposed change by the Government will affect the 60,000 pensioners in Rotherham and the 12 million pensioners across the UK.

“It doesn’t just apply to state pensions, but to work pensions as well.”

A contingent from Rotherham will be at the convention.