Standing up for older people

According to a new report from the OECD, the UK State Pension is the lowest in the developed world. While pensioner poverty in Scotland is the lowest in the UK, it is unacceptable for any person to face destitution in their old age.

That’s why from providing record health spending to free personal care, the SNP government is taking action to support Scotland’s older people.

• We are committed to protecting free personal and nursing care. Nearly 78,000 people over the age of 65 benefit from free personal care in Scotland.

• Not only will we protect free personal care, we will prepare for expansion to include those under 65 who require it – also known as ‘Frank’s Law’.

• We are developing a new national strategy to tackle loneliness and isolation. One of the first in the world, the draft strategy looks at causes of social isolation and loneliness and how they can be addressed.

• We will invest an extra half a billion pounds into primary care, including GP services and health centres. Over this parliament, we will increase health spending by almost £2 billion.

• We will ensure that prescriptions and eye tests remain free of charge.

• Scotland is the the first country to provide funding for a national roll-out of the ‘Cycling Without Age’ scheme, helping older people continue to enjoy the outdoors.

• Through the National Entitlement Card, Scotland’s older people and disabled people will continue to be able to travel for free on local or Scottish long distance buses.

• We will use new powers to maintain Winter Fuel Payments for Scotland’s pensioners. And we’ll ensure early payment to the almost 80,000 pensioners who live ‘off-grid’, so they can take advantage of lower prices.

• We are consulting on a Warm Homes Bill to tackle fuel poverty. Over the next four years, we will make energy efficiency a national infrastructure priority backed up by £500 million of funding.

• Nearly half a million vulnerable households in Scotland – including around 184,000 pensioners – have been protected by Council Tax Reduction.

• We will use new social security powers to increase Carer’s Allowance to the same level as Jobseeker’s Allowance, a commitment that will benefit carers by £600 a year.

And at Westminster, SNP MPs continue to stand up for older people shortchanged by the Tories on pensions.

• SNP MPs are using every available opportunity to support the Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI) campaign in their efforts to secure fairness for the women born in the 1950s shortchanged by the accelerated increase in the pension age for women.

• We continue to argue for a fairer pensions system, SNP MPs will oppose plans to increase the State Pension Age beyond 66.

• We support the establishment of an Independent Savings and Pension Commission, to ensure pensions and savings policies are fit for purpose and reflect the demographic needs of different parts of the UK.