Government windfall at expense of Welsh pensioners

12.00.00am GMT Mon 22nd Sep 2008

Today, the Welsh Liberal Democrats revealed that Government plans to cut the period that pensioners are allowed to claim backdated pension credits will cost the poorest and most vulnerable Welsh pensioners millions of pounds in benefits.

A Parliamentary Answer shows that Welsh pensioners will lose out on £12.5million in the first three years of the scheme and a further £8million by 2020. By 2050, the move will have cost Welsh pensioners over £27million.

Commenting, Jenny Willott, Lib Dem Shadow Spokesperson for Work and Pensions, said:

"After the 10p tax fiasco, Welsh pensioners must be starting to as if this Government has a vendetta against them.

"The Treasury stands to make a windfall at the expense of some of the poorest people in Wales.

"This is cash that pensioners are not only entitled to, but money that they desperately need, to pay rising fuel and food bills. It beggars belief that at the same time that pensioner poverty in Wales rose by 15,000 last year, the Government is trying to cut their benefits.

"Labour's raid on pensioners simply could not come at a worse time."