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An average £3,400 a year
will be snatched away from 2.4 million pensioners – equivalent to a
quarter of the average pensioner’s income. In Peterborough, this
would affect 3630 pensioners – 2580 who receive Attendance
Allowance, worth an average of £60 a week, and 1050 who receive
Disability Living Allowance, worth an average of £75 a week.
Attendance Allowance and Disability
Living Allowance are based on need; they are not means tested and
are intended to cover the extra costs arising from the impact the
disability has on the life of the disabled person. The key feature
of these benefits is that they can be spent by disabled people how
they wish, without restrictions, to best support their individual
care needs.
Stewart commented: “Gordon Brown has
chosen to penalise one of the most vulnerable groups in our society
for the sake of another of his eye-catching announcements. As with
every Labour initiative, someone has to pay and, as with many of
them, it is once again those who are least able to afford it who are
hit by Brown.
“These benefits provide vital
support for disabled pensioners, giving them the chance to lead an
independent life with the freedom to tailor their care to their
needs.
“Of course, we need to do more to
help people with their care costs, but it is completely wrong to do
so at the expense of disabled pensioners. Conservatives will protect
Peterborough’s pensioners and fight against Gordon Brown’s plan to
scrap benefits for the disabled.”
Stewart
Jackson was elected in May 2005 to represent the
Peterborough constituency in the House of Commons.
To find out more about him, his views and activities, visit his
website at
www.stewartjackson.org.uk
Peterborough UK
Community Website - February 2009
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