Windsor Councillor and Lib Dem PPC hits out at pension's injustice
November 10, 2004 6:29 PM
By Antony Wood
By Antony Wood
Soon it will be Remembrance Day again and it will be an honourable duty for all of us to remember those who have died in battle serving their country - "For your tomorrow we gave our today".
But wars also produce other causalities, including those who are maimed in body or mind and I am not sure that our record in looking after those who have been disabled in action is so honourable.
In 1979 the then Government changed the basis on which War Pensions had been calculated, going from a link with the National Average Wage (NAW) to one based on the Retail Price Increase (RPI). Since then the cumulative effect on our disabled servicemen has been a serious loss. I believe it is a national disgrace that instead of getting about £200 per week (NAW base) they now get £127 per week. In effect this small gallant band is currently being penalised £70 per week.
I therefore intend to try and find out from the Government what the cost of restoring the original link to NAW would be. This figure has never been released but I estimate that treating this dwindling group more fairly would cost a minimal amount. We owe it to them.
Also as a local Councillor I would like residents to raise a petition which we can sign and present to the Borough. This time as we gather in remembrance lets also honour those who did not die but had their hopes killed. Let's end the humbug and show we really value their sacrifice by fighting for a proper reward for War Pensioners.