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Peter Black and South Wales West Liberal DemocratsRepresenting Aberavon, Bridgend, Gower, Neath, Ogmore, Port Talbot, and Swansea |
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Local campaigner welcomes pensions success for carers
April 24, 2007 11:34 PM
Frank Little, LibDem candidate on the South Wales West regional list, has welcomed a government decision to accept a Liberal Democrat amendment to the Pensions Bill, which is currently going through Parliament. The effect of the government's decision will be to ensure that 40,000 more carers get the basic state pension, including an estimated 20 in Neath Port Talbot, and more than 60 in the South Wales West region as a whole.
Frank Little said,
"I am delighted that the government has conceded that their pension plans prevented many carers from building an entitlement to the basic state pension and that they will take steps to put this right.
"Carers make a huge contribution and this must be recognised when they come to retire by the granting of a full pension.
"Under the new proposals, agreed to by the government, 40,000 more carers, who would have been unable to build up entitlement, will be credited with National Insurance Contributions and therefore will be eligible for a full state pension, including a score here in Neath Port Talbot.
"I am pleased that the Liberal Democrats, working with groups including Carers UK, the Equal Opportunities Commission, Age Concern and Help the Aged, as well as MPs from other parties, have been able to achieve this valuable improvement to our pension system.
"It is to be hoped that the voters of Wales will enable us to take the extra steps to support carers outlined in our Welsh general election manifesto."
ENDS
Note
Further information on the amendment, which was originally proposed by Lorely Burt MP, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson on Women and Equality, is available on the Carers UK website (http://tinyurl.com/yq67x4) and on the Liberal Democrat website (http://tinyurl.com/2xuh6l).
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