THERE is a debate going on now suggesting that pensioners are at least £20 better off each week than working people. I find this calculation most interesting.

First of all, the difference of expenditure is not equivalent. A working person has to spend out extra monies for travel to work; be that by bus or rail.

They also have to include extra daily costs for lunchtime meals, be that a sandwich box or going to a local takeaway.

They might also have to incur extra costs for their clothing attire in order that they not only look presentable at their workplace but at least show that they have a somewhat extensive wardrobe.

With modern wages being so cruelly low for the average worker and not seeing a rise in many years, plus the increasing high costs with food, petrol and rent – the working man is surely one of those (JAMs), ‘Just About Managing’.

Now the pensioners. Unlike the so fortunate working people, they cannot enjoy the free heating or electricity that they get from their workplace – that enables them to time-set their heating at home. Pensioners have to have the heating on 24/7.

Same with their television that has to be on all day to keep them occupied. Boiling a kettle for a cup of tea is done at home and not at the office, so all costs of living is down to the pensioners and is in no way ‘subsidised’ via the benefits of being at work eight hours or more a day.

I believe if anything, wages should increase a lot more and not as suggested by this report, lower the pension entitlement. As a pensioner myself, I am ‘Just About Managing’.

CHRISTINE PETERS

Wellington Road Bournemouth

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