SNP Councillors support campaign pledge to protect pensioners  

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SNP councillors Mags and Kenny MacLaren are supporting the SNP campaign pledge to protect pensioners.

 
The pledge includes a commitment that SNP councils will continue to keep council tax bills low – including delivering the Scottish Government’s £150 off council tax; protecting and improving free bus travel for pensioners; protecting free prescriptions; working with the Scottish Government to abolish charges for non-residential care, and helping design a National Care Service to ensure consistent, high quality services for all.
 
This promise from the SNP is in stark contrast to the Tory government breaking their promises about a triple lock for pensioners, scrapping free TV licenses for pensioners and letting down the WASPI women. 
 
Councillor Kenny MacLaren said:
 
“Having worked hard for decades, pensioners across Scotland deserve to be able to enjoy their lives but they are being  routinely let down by Tory governments they didn’t vote for.
 
“After a decade of Tory austerity, millions of pensioners across Scotland currently find themselves living in poverty with one of the poorest state pensions in Europe, but we don’t need to settle for this.
 
“The SNP will always do all we can to protect pensioners and our pledge to pensioners at this election is more important than ever as the Tory-made cost-of-living crisis bites.” 

Councillor Mags MacLaren added:
 
“The SNP’s commitment to older people is absolute – from keeping council tax bills down to delivering a National Care Service. 
 
“What a contrast to the Tories at Westminster who have broken their promises about a triple lock for pensioners, scrapped free TV licenses for pensioners and have badly down the WASPI women. 
 
“By voting SNP on May 5, pensioners can be assured that they will be electing representatives who will protect them against Boris Johnson and this failing Tory government.” 
 

 
NOTES
 
OECD’s Pensions at a Glance 2021 figures display how the UK has one of the lowest public pensions schemes in the developed world. The UK State Pension provides retirees with an income around 20% of the average national wage, compared to almost 40% across the developed world.
 
EuroStat figures for 2018 (as latest available with UK) show that the UK has the highest percentage of retirees over 65 at risk of poverty among neighbouring EU countries in north west Europe.