I WONDER what pensioners thought of the budget: not a lot I would suggest.The chancellor Alistair Darling appeared on television the following day answering various questions from viewers.

I WONDER what pensioners thought of the budget: not a lot I would suggest.

The chancellor Alistair Darling appeared on television the following day answering various questions from viewers.

One pensioner, who had seen the cost of his heating bills double in quite a short time, asked how he was expected to pay.The chancellor did not really reply to the question (he probably had no answer) and instead pointed out what he was doing for families and motorists.

The nation's pensioners are a forgotten group and little or nothing is to be done to address their plight.

On top of the increase in heating bills we can look forward to increases in council tax, water, sewerage, as well as extra money for our shopping trips for food and petrol. The problem is that we do not have a champion to help our cause and the people in power do not understand.

You must remember the 75p a week increase sometime ago which the Prime Minister Tony Blair later admitted was his worst mistake in government. We are one of the leading countries in the world as regards to wealth but we are nearly bottom of the league for pension payments in the whole of Europe.

We want a proper weekly pension (not means tested) - the tax system can take care of any over-payments - which could then replace the annual “heating allowance.” The latter can of course be taken away at any time.

Before coming into office the Labour party said that the 25p a week for the over 80's was a national disgrace: over 10 years later it is still the case.

GERALD E HOGG

Middle Way

Lowestoft