Pensioners in Llanelli would benefit from Plaid’s proposals for a “Living Pension”

Over 17,000 pensioners in Llanelli would benefit from Plaid Cymru’s General Election promise to increase the state benison by 30% says local AM Helen Mary Jones and Plaid's Parliamentary Candidate Myfanwy Davies.

Plaid Leader Ieuan Wyn Jones outlined his party’s proposal in the forthcoming General Election for a “Living Pension” during a keynote speech in the Cynon Valley last Monday. Their pledge comes as figures show that £5.4 billion of benefits for older people are left unclaimed in the UK each year, because pensioners find the process of applying for Pension credits complicated and intrusive.

Plaid is campaigning for a Living Pension, which would mean that all pensioners get the increased pension - which next year would amount to £202 per week for a couple. The commitment would be phased in gradually, starting with the oldest and most vulnerable pensioners over 80 years old.

Llanelli AM Helen Mary Jones said:

"With a shocking 74% rise in cold weather deaths in Wales last year, pensioners poverty and protecting key public services must take priority over bankers’ bonuses, nuclear weapons and ID cards.

The Tories want unfair taxes, New Labour want to keep the bankers’ bonus culture and the Lib Dems’ credibility went out of the window when Clegg admitted they had been making promises they could not afford all along.

"Our policy is affordable as the policy would be phased in gradually, with the oldest and most vulnerable pensioners benefiting firstly. We in Plaid Cymru know that many pensioners in poverty do not apply for a pension credit, and we also know that many pensioners face huge personal care bills.”

Myfanwy Davies added:

"Our Living Pension scheme will ensure a decent income for pensioners starting with the oldest. It is the right thing to do but it is also a practical step to help the most vulnerable people in our communities and to direct much-needed spending to the small local businesses where older people tend to shop.

Labour and the Tories are falling over themselves to cut vital public spending while we are still in recession. That is the economics of the madhouse. Public spending is the only thing keeping the economy afloat as things stand and we must stand by the most vulnerable in our communities when times are hard."

Stop the cuts in our schools and hospitals say Myfanwy, Helen Mary and Plaid Council leaders

Dr Myfanwy Davies, Plaid's Llanelli candidate for Westminster has revealed that independent research for the Holtham Commission shows the London government may deny Llanelli £227m needed over the next 10 years.

Myfanwy said:

"I have always known that Wales' funding is unfair. But astonishing research into the UK Government's own figures shows that over the next ten years we will lose over £220 million pounds - money that our communities in Llanelli need so badly.

We are fed up with London Labour cutting Wales' funding to pay for city bankers' bonuses. And these cuts are going to be deep despite the Welsh Government doing all it can. Cardiff just can't go on using its own reserves for ever and ever. So next year the cuts may be even more severe.

We say enough is enough! We are not here just to buy off Mandleson's millionaire friends. Hands off our schools and hospitals. "

She added,

" These cuts come despite the independent Holtham commission saying that Wales' funding should not be touched until we get the money we need to provide vital public services. But Wales is getting less from Westminster because of all the money that London Labour has paid to bail out the bankers in the City.

And ominously, the Tory Party says it will cut Wales' money in exactly the same way as London Labour."


Myfanwy and the leader of Plaid's County Councillor group are calling on London Labour to listen to all the independent advice and stop the cuts until Wales gets fair funding.


Cllr. Peter Hughes Griffiths, Leader of the Plaid Group on the county council said:

"As local councillors we support Myfanwy's call all the way. It is so unfair that the Westminster Labour government is cutting back so drastically on Welsh finances. Remember this when the general election comes along!"

Llanelli AM Helen Mary Jones added:

"The Welsh government has managed to cushion the blow of savage funding cuts this year by using reserves. But it will not be able to do this every year. The London parties need to commit to taking immediate action to ensure that Welsh communities get the funding they need, the money which is their right.

In the meantime they must call a halt to any proposed further cuts in the Welsh budget, to allow the Welsh government to invest in our communities for the good of all the people of Wales."


DIWEDD / ENDS

Notes for editor

The independent Holtham Commission has stated that the cumulative under-funding of Wales over the next decade will mean we could lose out to the tune of £8.5bn.

That means an underfunding of £2,900 for every person in Wales.

So with a population of 78,300 in Llanelli, this could mean a loss of an estimated £227m for the constituency - unless action is taken to change the now thoroughly discredited Barnett Formula