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| 'End pensioner benefits to help young', peers say | 'End pensioner benefits to help young', peers say |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| "Outdated" age-specific benefits for older people should be replaced with support for the young to "deliver a fairer society", say peers. | "Outdated" age-specific benefits for older people should be replaced with support for the young to "deliver a fairer society", say peers. |
| The Committee on Intergenerational Fairness called for a focus on housing and training policies, rather than benefits like free TV licenses. | The Committee on Intergenerational Fairness called for a focus on housing and training policies, rather than benefits like free TV licenses. |
| Committee chair Lord True said failing to rebalance policies could risk the "strong bond" between the generations. | Committee chair Lord True said failing to rebalance policies could risk the "strong bond" between the generations. |
| But campaigners warned against changes, saying pensioner poverty was rising. | But campaigners warned against changes, saying pensioner poverty was rising. |
| The committee - made up of Labour, Tory, Liberal Democrat and Crossbench peers - issued a raft of recommendations, both to "retain the supportive relationship between generations" and to plan for the "100-year life" that younger people can expect to become the norm. | The committee - made up of Labour, Tory, Liberal Democrat and Crossbench peers - issued a raft of recommendations, both to "retain the supportive relationship between generations" and to plan for the "100-year life" that younger people can expect to become the norm. |
| Suggested improvements include: | Suggested improvements include: |
| The peers also propose changes to benefits for older people, including: | The peers also propose changes to benefits for older people, including: |
| Conservative peer Lord True said: "Both young and older people recognise the contribution the other makes and the challenges they face. | Conservative peer Lord True said: "Both young and older people recognise the contribution the other makes and the challenges they face. |
| "However, there is a risk that those connections could be undermined if the government does not get a grip on key issues such as access to housing, secure employment and fairness in tax and benefits." | "However, there is a risk that those connections could be undermined if the government does not get a grip on key issues such as access to housing, secure employment and fairness in tax and benefits." |
| 'The 100-year life' | 'The 100-year life' |
| Life expectancy in the UK is currently 82.9 years for women and 79.2 years for men. | Life expectancy in the UK is currently 82.9 years for women and 79.2 years for men. |
| But with technological revelations, medical breakthroughs and societal shifts, it is thought that an age expectancy of 100 is not far away. | But with technological revelations, medical breakthroughs and societal shifts, it is thought that an age expectancy of 100 is not far away. |
| While living a healthy life for longer may appeal, it changes the way governments will need to prepare. | While living a healthy life for longer may appeal, it changes the way governments will need to prepare. |
| The London Business School says the current life stages of education (between the ages of five and 21), work (22-65) and retirement (65+) will cease to exist. | The London Business School says the current life stages of education (between the ages of five and 21), work (22-65) and retirement (65+) will cease to exist. |
| This means people may need to retrain, work for longer or need more care in their later stages of life. | This means people may need to retrain, work for longer or need more care in their later stages of life. |
| As a result, many aspects of the government's remit will be affected, such as housing, health, education and pensions, and the committee says its recommendations will help them get ready. | As a result, many aspects of the government's remit will be affected, such as housing, health, education and pensions, and the committee says its recommendations will help them get ready. |
| The committee said intergenerational unfairness was being "exacerbated" by an ageing population, the 2008 global financial crisis and successive government policies that have failed to consider the issue. | |
| According to its report, many pensioner households are now, on average, better off than their working age counterparts, both in terms of income after housing costs and overall household wealth. | According to its report, many pensioner households are now, on average, better off than their working age counterparts, both in terms of income after housing costs and overall household wealth. |
| "We are calling for some of the outdated benefits based purely on age to be removed," said Lord True. | "We are calling for some of the outdated benefits based purely on age to be removed," said Lord True. |
| He said the universal benefits were "justified when pensioner households were at the bottom of the income scale, but that is no longer the case". | He said the universal benefits were "justified when pensioner households were at the bottom of the income scale, but that is no longer the case". |
| However, The Centre for Ageing Better warned against "tinkering" with existing benefits, saying pensioner poverty was increasing for the first time in a decade. | However, The Centre for Ageing Better warned against "tinkering" with existing benefits, saying pensioner poverty was increasing for the first time in a decade. |
| "This is not about old versus young," said its chief executive, Dr Anna Dixon. | "This is not about old versus young," said its chief executive, Dr Anna Dixon. |
| "It is about creating a society where everyone, regardless of income or background, can enjoy every stage of life. | "It is about creating a society where everyone, regardless of income or background, can enjoy every stage of life. |
| "Headline-grabbing proposals like abolishing free TV licences based on age risk distracting from the big structural changes needed across housing, work and communities." | "Headline-grabbing proposals like abolishing free TV licences based on age risk distracting from the big structural changes needed across housing, work and communities." |
| But David Sinclair, director of the International Longevity Centre, said policymakers had failed the young. | But David Sinclair, director of the International Longevity Centre, said policymakers had failed the young. |
| He said: "Our approach to public policy at the moment risks pitching younger against older people and inadvertently and unhelpfully undermining the intergenerational contract. | He said: "Our approach to public policy at the moment risks pitching younger against older people and inadvertently and unhelpfully undermining the intergenerational contract. |
| "Today's young are tomorrow's older people." | "Today's young are tomorrow's older people." |