Lib Dems to give £770 boost to 27,730 pensioners in Folkestone and Hythe

Nearly 28,000 pensioners living in Folkestone and Hythe will receive at least £772 extra per year under Liberal Democrat manifesto plans to protect the 'triple lock' for state pensions.

At 27,730, Folkestone and Hythe has one of the highest numbers of people receiving state pensions in the country, according to figures from the Office of National Statistics, which puts it 20^th out of the country's 635 constituencies.

Thanks to the triple lock guarantee, secured by the Liberal Democrats when they were in government, the basic state pension has risen in each year by whichever is the higher of earnings, prices, or a rate of 2.5%. The Conservatives have refused to guarantee continuing the triple lock, raising fears it could be scrapped.

The Liberal Democrats have committed today to keeping the triple lock, meaning the state pension would be worth at least £137.15 a week by 2021, up from £122.30 in 2017, or an extra £772 a year.

This would be paid for in part by restricting perks such as the winter fuel allowance so they are no longer paid to the wealthiest pensioners.

Lynne Beaumont, the Liberal Democrat candidate for Folkestone and Hythe in the general election on 8 June, said:

"Protecting the triple lock will mean an extra £772 a year by 2021 for the 27,730 people receiving the state pension in this constituency.

"The Liberal Democrats are making a clear commitment to older people in Folkestone and Hythe, unlike the Conservatives who have repeatedly refused to give this guarantee.

"The triple lock has succeeded in lifting thousands of pensioners out of poverty, but many are still struggling to get by.

"An important test of a civilised society is the way in which it cares for the elderly. This commitment will ensure older people are able to meet their basic needs and that their living standards will be protected, especially with prices set to rise in the coming years."