PENSIONER POVERTY

That this House notes with concern the financial difficulty faced by many pensioners, particularly women; further notes the hardship this can create in paying fuel and food bills; further notes that one in five pensioners is living in poverty; further notes that, for a quarter of a century, year on year, the value of pensions has been falling; calls on the Government to restore the earnings link to the basic state pension; and further calls on the Government to reduce the number of pensioners facing means testing.