The country’s largest older people’s charity has today  accused the government of playing games with older people’s incomes as they announced a delayed increase to the State Pension.

Peter Kavanagh, Head of Communications and Public Affairs for the organisation said, “This Budget is an uninspiring one, and one that sets out its stall not to make anyone too happy.  Delaying the proposed pension increases, however, is playing games with people’s incomes and is deeply upsetting for Active Retirement members. There will be no delay to January’s increase in energy prices, and it’s become more difficult for pensioners, particularly rural pensioners, to have any standard of living on the State Pension.”

Kavanagh also criticised the lack of social progress in Minister Donohue’s announcement, “It’s a Budget that doesn’t do enough for women affected by the massive gender pension gap. Since 2012’s reforms, it is women who have been forced to bear the brunt of austerity in Irish pension policy.”

“The lack of a full Telephone Allowance is keenly felt among older people in rural areas too,” said Kavanagh, “For years we’ve been calling for this vital lifeline to be restored as it enables older people to have pendant alarms under the Seniors Alert Scheme, as well as remain connected to their communities.”