As I type this, there is sunshine pouring through the office windows, and I am very much hoping that the recent spell of warmer weather is going to be with us for a bit longer. A bright, blue sky certainly lifts the spirits and makes a welcome change from the grey clouds and drizzle.
Civil Service pensions rose by 1.7% from the 7th April, in line with the September 2024 CPI rate, and on the same date State Pensions were increased by 4.1% under the Triple-Lock. CSPA members are understandably disappointed by the 1.7% figure, especially when the current rate of inflation is running much higher, at around 2.8% and the cost of everything – from energy, to water, to Council Tax and essential food items in the supermarkets – seems to be skyrocketing.
Some have even coined the term ‘awful April’ to describe the latest hikes in the cost of living! We continue to underline the impact on pensioners in our correspondence and dealings with Government representatives, MPs, Peers and other decision-makers, insisting that it highlights the importance of maintaining the Triple Lock as a mechanism to keep State Pensions rising in line with inflation and average wages.
CSPA around the country
We’ve had a busy few months here at CSPA HQ. Over the past 8 weeks, the Deputy General Secretary, David Luxton and I have been crisscrossing the country, speaking at local CSPA group AGMs. It’s a part of my role as General Secretary that I really enjoy, as it’s always a pleasure to meet and speak to members in person. If you’re interested, you can find out more about our recent experiences here
Campaign updates
The last few weeks of March were also a busy period for campaigning. We attended a parliamentary event, hosted by the National Association of Retired Police Officers (NARPO) in the House of Commons, compellingly titled “Love or Money” to support their campaign for changes to Police Widows (and Widower) Pension rules that deprive them of their survivor pensions if they choose to remarry or cohabit later in life. Many CSPA members may recall that the same issue also impacts pre-2002, legacy or ‘classic’ scheme Civil Service pensioners, and CSPA have also been running a long campaign to have this situation rectified. The event was therefore also a good opportunity for us to raise awareness amongst the MPs and Peers attending that it was a matter of concern to CSPA members as well.
We met with Chair of the influential House of Commons Work & Pensions Committee, Debbie Abrahams MP, on the 11th March to discuss CSPA and Later Life Ambitions (LLA) policy priorities. During a very positive meeting, we were invited to submit late evidence to the Committee`s current Inquiry into `Pensioner Poverty - the Challenges and Mitigations` and we have since done so as part of Later Life Ambitions. A copy of the notes from this meeting can be read here
We also had a very good meeting with Wendy Chamberlain MP, Liberal Democrat Chief Whip, in her office in Portcullis House at the end of March. It was encouraging to hear her confirm her support on key campaign issues for the LLA, and we went on to have a more in-depth discussion with her about our concerns around bank closures, the painfully slow roll out of banking hubs, and diminishing access to cash – which are matters of particular concern to her as well, due to the effects on her constituency in North East Fife. More information can be found in GC968
On the 3rd April, the UN Member States in the Human Rights Council in Geneva adopted a landmark resolution to set up a new inter-governmental working group to draft an international, legally binding, instrument (UN Convention) on the human rights of older people. This milestone is the culmination of many years of advocacy and campaigning by older people and organisations, including CSPA, around the world. I have recently written to the Secretary of State, David Lammy MP, asking him to ensure that the UK plays a leading role in upholding human rights across the world by adding its name to the list of states sponsoring this resolution.
Member benefits
We are excited to announce that our friends at CSIS are now offering a 10% discount on car insurance to CSPA members! ** With the rising cost of car insurance over the past few years, this is the perfect time to see if you can save some money when your next renewal is due. Click here for more information or telephone CSIS on 01622 766 960.
Fred. Olsen have also launched several new routes and offers with cruises visiting Hawaii and Tokyo. To see the latest offices click here
In other news
We’d like to thank all of you that took the time you took to complete and return our member survey at the end of last year. We had a fantastic response and have been carefully analysing the results. We will have more news to share towards the summer regarding the outcome of the member, group and branch consultations and the Executive Council’s future planning in response.
As of the beginning of April, all regional home pages within the members area of the CSPA website have a national events calendar listing all local group meetings, month by month. Hopefully, this will make it easier for you to find upcoming meetings that will be taking place in your area.
The third episode of our podcast series is now ready to listen to. This time, we’re talking to CSIS about their not-for-profit ethos, friendly team and very different approach to insurance. You can have a listen to this, and all previous episodes, plus a range of audio versions of articles from ‘The Pensioner’ magazine in our audio hub via www.cspa.co.uk/listen
