According to the figures from the House of Commons library, scrapping savings credit, which is a benefit to reward those who save money for their retirement, would also cost 105,000 new pensioners up to £897 per year, as the British Chancellor George Osborne implements reforms to create single tier, flat state pension.
“George Osborne has been caught bang to rights plotting another secret raid on hard-pressed pensioners. First, we had the Granny Tax,” said the British Shadow work and pensions secretary Liam Byrne.
“Now we’ve uncovered Granny Tax Mark 2: a £900 cut for pensioners who did the right thing and saved some money for retirement. Pensioners will be disgusted at this secret attempt to pick their pockets to pay for tax-breaks for millionaires.”
The measures, to come into force by 2016, come on top of the budget tax relief cut, which will cause a single pensioners’ cut from £20.52 a week to £18.54.
Furthermore, criticizing the UK government for its plan to abolish savings credit, Robin Lomas, of charity Friends of the Elderly, said “this is another serious blow for vulnerable older people.”
However, a Department for Work and Pensions spokeswoman claimed no one would lose money because savings credit is “means tested.”
SSM/MF/HE
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