A caller to Jeremy Vine‘s Channel 5 show broke down in tears defending claims older people don’t understand the hardship youngsters go through. In a call in on Jeremy Vine on 5, pensioner Lyn, from Bedfordshire, defended the rise amid claims on the show that pensioners don’t know how much younger generations struggle financially.
Pensioners will get an 8.5 percent state pension increase from next April after Chancellor Jeremy Hunt sealed his commitment to the triple lock. It means the state pension will rise to more than £11,500 a year, increasing to £221.20 a week.
In response to a question whether the pension rise is too high, Lyn told the show how she started work aged 15, worked part-time, raised two children and paid off a mortgage.
She said: “I couldn’t afford to live off the state. I went out to work and looked after my two children and I had a mortgage which at that time was 15 percent.”
The mum broke down as she added: “We struggled so hard, and I wanted the best for my young children… It’s such a hard time now. And that young lady really got me upset, just saying, ‘Oh you only paid £50,000 for a house’… I just think, ‘How dare you say that?'”
Fighting back tears, Lyn, who said she is in receipt of the state pension, continued: “We struggled as much as you are today… It was very, very difficult.”
Commentator and landlord, Lin Mei, told Lyn she was sorry she welled up, adding: “The point is – and I understand that you struggled – the point is you were still able to buy a house.
“People in my generation can’t even dream of renting a flat – one room. Families are in one room. So my heart goes out to you.”
At this point Lyn broke into relay how her 43-year-old son can’t afford to buy despite working hard since he left school.
She said: “It breaks my heart to think how he’s struggling. We help as much as we can… Sitting there being pragmatic about all… ‘Oh we can’t afford it’. Nor can he.”
Lin replied: “That’s what I’m saying. I’m echoing what your son is going through… I absolutely agree the Government need to commit to pensions but at the end of the day we need to be able to all tighten our belt (sic).
“I think there’s a lack of understanding from pensioners when it comes to what younger generations go through.”
The debate came in a week when Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he felt proud pensioner households had received up to £600 to help with higher energy bills this Christmas.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) said the support available to pensioners through winter fuel and cost-of-living payments between November 21 and December 7 had been worth £4.8billion.
Officials said 99 percent of those eligible had received the available financial support, with payments to continue up to January 26.
Meanwhile, households on means-tested benefits have been eligible for cost-of-living support worth up to £900 in the 2023/24 financial year, with a final payment of £299 due to be paid in February.
Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride said the Government has honoured its commitment to protect pensioners throughout the cold winter months by paying out £4.8bn of direct support in a matter of days.
He added: “As well as getting this vital money to millions of pensioners, we have fulfilled our pledge to halve inflation and boosted the state pension through the ‘triple lock‘ to ensure pensioners are supported after a lifetime of work.”
The triple lock, which has become a hallmark of recent Tory governments, refers to the commitment to raise the state pension every year by wage growth, inflation or 2.5 percent – whichever is highest.
Analysts have expressed concern at the impact of maintaining the triple lock on taxpayers in the long-term.
