Group backs call for pension rise

11:14am Saturday 21st June 2008

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A dozen pensioners from Keighley attended the annual meeting of the National Pensioners Convention (NPC) earlier this month.

Members of Keighley Pensioners Action Group were present at the 16th Pensioners' Parliament, in Blackpool.

The event included a march, guest speakers, including MP Kate Hoey, talks on hospital and mental health care and a campaign session to discuss issues such as age discrimination and post office closures.

Harry Beevers, president of Keighley Pensioners Action Group, noted that 2008 marked the centenary of the state pension.

He said the extra weekly payment of 25p for pensioners aged 80 and over was now not enough to buy a second class stamp.

His group has joined in the national campaign to provide pensioners with a proper income.

"We are backed by people like the Archbishop of Canterbury but locally we do need to get pensioners organised. We've got about 60 members at the moment," he said.

NPC general secretary Joe Harris said: "This year represents the centenary of the state pension - yet one in five older people are living below the official poverty line.

"The Government has said it will restore the pension link to earning in 2012 but by that time three million of today's pensioners will have already died."

Keighley Pensioners Action Group meets at 1pm, on the first Monday of every month, at the Temple Row Centre.