Liz Truss resignation sparks fears 'all bets are off' on older people's pensions and benefits

After 44 days as Prime Minister, Liz Truss resigned leaving "all bets off" for people’s pension and benefits campaigners fear.

Making a swift U-turn on her “not a quitter” speech delivered during PMQs on 19 October, Liz Truss resigned the very next day, sparking not just a Conservative leadership election but calls for the public to contact their Conservative MPs to demand their new leader increases funding to fix the social care crisis.

Older people fear their or families' health 'jeopardised'

In her resignation speech, Liz Truss said: "We delivered on energy bills and on cutting national insurance. And we set out a vision for a low-tax, high-growth economy that would take advantage of the freedoms of Brexit.

"I recognise, though, given the situation, I cannot deliver the mandate on which I was elected by the Conservative party. I have therefore spoken to His Majesty the King to notify him that I am resigning as leader of the Conservative party."

Liz Truss will stay in office until a new Conservative leader is appointed on Friday, 28 October. Older people's campaigner Silver Voices is now urging people to write to their Conservative MPs to ensure Britain’s next leader introduces further ‘targeted’ energy support for older people, after its October poll revealed 71 per cent Silver Voices members ‘fear their health or that of their family will be jeopardised this winter’.

"We are now back to square one, with the Conservatives desperately trying to shore up their electoral chances" Silver Voices has said.

"All bets are off as far as our pensions and benefits are concerned. Also, we are facing swingeing public spending cuts to our vital services like health and social care. It is important that all members with a Conservative MP write to them".

On the subject of social care funding, Jane Townson, chief executive of the Homecare Association, which represents home care providers, said in a tweet (@DrJaneTownson) today: "Our last published Minimum Price for Homecare was in December 2021.

Fuel prices 'having negative effect on home care'

"Inflation was already rising then but now it is much higher and fuel price increases in particular are having a negative effect on home care."

On the day of Liz Truss’ resignation, Dr Townson, who has just been awarded top in the Social Care Top 30 Leadership Awards, tweeted: “Most councils are doing the best they can with the budgets they have. Until the value of supporting people in their communities is recognised in a wider economic sense, if not a moral sense, we will remain stuck. And now the govt has trashed the economy hope is fading.”

Some 86 per cent (of 650 older people polled) have already cut back on food costs and/or energy costs and 96 per cent think the government has not done nearly enough to support older people this winter.

The ‘targeted’ support demanded for older people by campaigners includes uprating pension credit by September’s 10.1 per cent inflation figure, and bringing forward and backdating the 'triple lock' pension rise (due in April 2023) to 1 October 2022.

This comes after the Silver Voices poll found 98 per cent think the triple lock pension increase should be brought forward and backdated to 1 October 2022.

The public are also being encouraged to contact their Conservative MP to ensure the next Prime Minister restores free TV licences for the over 75s and makes no changes to prescription charges in England.

You can find out your local MP and contact them by visiting www.members.parliament.uk/members/commons