Labour has set out its offer to pensioners in more detail with a new ‘Pensioners Pledge Card’, after the Tories chose to ignore the biggest issue affecting older people in their manifesto; the social care crisis.

Labour have seven policies on the new pledge card. The party says the policies will “restore dignity and support” for older people living in Britain.

Labour’s ‘Pensioners Pledge Card’ includes plans to:

1. Introduce free personal care and invest £10.8 billion in social care provision.
2. Keep the free bus pass for older people.
3. Restore the 3,000 bus routes cut under the Tories and give back regulatory powers to Crawley Borough Council.
4. Stop the Tories taking free TV licences from the up to 4280 households with someone over-75 in Crawley.
5. Pay-outs of up to £31,000 for the 5,500 women in Crawley who lost out unfairly when the Tories changed the state pension age without fair notice.
6. Invest in Warm Homes for All with insulation for every home – and in the process create nearly 750 unionised construction jobs and supply chain jobs for the next generation in Crawley.
7. End the injustice of the state skimming 50% off the mineworkers’ pensions schemes.

The Conservatives have cut £8 billion from social care since 2010 – and have not allocated one penny extra to social care in their manifesto. According to Age UK, 1.5 million older people are not getting the care they need.

Peter Lamb, Leader of Crawley Council and Labour’s candidate in Crawley, said, “People who have dedicated so many years to their families and communities deserve to be treated with respect. But years of Tory and Lib Dem cuts have robbed so many pensioners of their dignity. 

“Look at what’s happened to our country in the last few years: more pensioners in poverty and more children too. This is a rich country – we can do better than this. 

“Labour will deliver real change for pensioners, supporting them to live the comfortable lives they deserve.”

John McDonnell, Labour’s Shadow Chancellor, said: “Labour’s new pledge card sets out our offer to restore dignity and proper support for older people after being abandoned by the Conservatives. 

“Older people have had their pensions threatened under the Tories and nearly four million women born in the 1950s had their pensions robbed. 

“The scandalous state of the care system is perhaps the biggest crisis facing our country. Labour will build a new National Care Service with free care for those who need it at the heart.”