Mark Whitehead 25 April 2019

Peers call for a rebalancing of policies ‘in favour of the young’

A House of Lords committee has recommended ending free TV licences for over-75s, lowering the age for free bus passes and scrapping the triple-lock on pensions.

It says the measures will help to close the growing gap between older and younger generations.

The House of Lords committee on intergenerational fairness said it was time to 'rebalance government policy in favour of the young'.

The recommendations come amid growing concern over the plight of young people being squeezed out of the housing market and facing lower living standards than their parents.

However, the proposals are likely to face strong resistance with older people more likely to vote in elections.

Anna Dixon, chief executive of the Centre for Ageing Better warned against 'headline grabbing proposals.'

She said: 'This is not about old versus young, it’s about creating a society where everyone regardless of income or background can enjoy every stage of life.

'Headline grabbing proposals like abolishing free TV licenses based on age risk distracting from the big structural changes needed across housing, work and communities.'

Nicholas True, the chairman of the Lords committee, said: 'We are calling for some of the outdated benefits based purely on age to be removed.

'Policies such as the state pension triple-lock and free TV licences for over-75s were justified when pensioner households were at the bottom of the income scale but that is no longer the case.'

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