Your petition has been approved by the Number 10 web team, and
is now available on the Number 10 website at the following
address:
http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/Laeken2001/ Your petition reads:
We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to Honour the
Laeken agreement in 2001.
Following the Laeken European summit in 2001 the Commission
reported that pensioners receiving less than 60% of the
National Average Wage were at risk of living in poverty. The
UK government signed a commitment ensuring that older people
are not placed at risk of poverty and can enjoy a decent
standard of living. With the exception of the UK, all
other countries are adhering to this undertaking, while the UK
pension is just 16% of the national average wage.
It is a fact that 1.4 million pensioners are known to be
living in poverty. Many receive an income that excludes them
from seeking financial help from the state. UK
pensioners are subject to means tests unlike their European
counterparts. This is a demeaning system.
On behalf of UK pensioners may I ask you to call on the
Government and all politicians to urgently recognise the needs
and value of pensioners. This would ensure that promises made
in 2001 are implemented without delay so that by 2011 - ten
years after the promise was made - the State Pension will have
reached 60% of the National Average Wage.
Thanks for submitting your petition.
-- the ePetitions team
