The Conservative government’s threat to scrap the triple lock on pensions would cost pensioners in Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross a colossal £5,755,262 new analysis by the Liberal Democrats has found.
The broken Conservative promise would hit 14,133 Highland local pensioners, who would lose an average of £407 each a year if pensions were uprated with earnings rather than inflation.
The threat comes amidst the highest price rises in 40 years, and despite a Conservative manifesto promise at the last election to keep the triple lock in place.
The Liberal Democrats have accused the government of “flip flopping” on the issue and said dropping the promise would risk plunging pensioners in the Far North into poverty.
The party is calling for both pensions and benefits to be up-rated in line with inflation to protect vulnerable families and pensioners.
Commenting, MP for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, Jamie Stone, said:
“This Conservative government is flip flopping every week on pension cuts, leaving elderly residents in limbo and fearful for the future.
“Many local people I speak to are worried about the damage that a failure to uprate pensions could inflict.
“If the Conservative abandon their manifesto promise it risks plunging vulnerable pensioners into poverty, here and across the country.
“The Conservative record of saying one thing and doing another is just not good enough. Pensioners should not have to pay the price for the Conservative government’s’ economic mess and mismanagement.
“Liberal Democrats want to see both benefits and pensions uprated in line with inflation so that no one is left cold or hungry this winter.
“Pensioners and the most vulnerable in our society must not be abandoned by this government”
