We all need pensions we can live on

Andy Beadle, South East London Socialist Party

Chancellor Rachel Reeves has announced that winter fuel payments to pensioners are being scrapped in England and Wales, except for those on means-tested benefits, including Pension Credit. The slogan before her read, ‘Fixing the foundations’. In reality, it was a declaration that this Labour government will remove support from some of the most vulnerable. It showed they have no intention of reversing the chronic transfer of wealth from working-class and poor people to the bosses.

21% of pensioners currently get means-tested benefits. A further 800,000 are eligible but don’t claim them, perhaps because they are unaware, or they wish to avoid the intrusive means test. This winter, the large majority will no longer receive either the £200 for single pensioners or the £300 for couples.

The charity Age UK has produced a petition which already has hundreds of thousands of signatures. It says, the change gives “virtually no notice and no compensatory measures to protect poor and vulnerable pensioners.”

Like others, pensioners have long been hit by cuts to council services. I no longer go swimming regularly because my local council stopped the free sessions for pensioners.

We don’t want special treatment: everybody should be entitled to look forward to a decent pension and a good retirement. Fighting for good services, care, housing, in fact a decent life, are demands that can unite all working-class people.

This is a wealthy country and the resources exist. But the distribution of wealth is skewed towards the super-rich. The only force that can change that is the organised working class.