The pensioner lobby has been predictably and tiresomely strident about
George Osborne’s ‘granny tax’. Ros Altmann, Director-General of Saga, called the move to bring pensioners’ tax allowances into line
with everyone else’s an ‘outrageous assault on decent middle-class pensioners’. It’s nothing of the sort. In fact, it’s high time that pensioners start to contribute
to the unprecedented fiscal squeeze we’re going through — and here are the three main reasons why.
First, they’ve contributed next to nothing to the deficit reduction programme so far. Better-off pensioners are set to lose just over 1 per cent of their income from the changes planned by
2014, according to the IFS. Meanwhile, lower-income families with
children — the other main beneficiary of the state’s largesse — will see around a 6 per cent loss.
Second, when all the dust has settled, pensioners are still going to be much better off than anyone else on a similar income.

Get Britain's best politics newsletters
Register to get The Spectator's insight and opinion straight to your inbox. You can then read two free articles each week.
Already a subscriber? Log in
Comments
Join the debate for just $5 for 3 months
Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for $5.
UNLOCK ACCESS Just $5 for 3 monthsAlready a subscriber? Log in