THE TUC London, East and South East (LESE) Pensioners’ Network consists of members representing unions and County Association Trades Councils (CATC), including CWU, GMB, NASUWT, NEU, PCS, Prospect/Bectu, RMT, TSSA, UCU, Unison, Unite, the Greater London Association of Trades Councils, Berkshire, Hampshire, Hertfordshire and Oxfordshire CATC.

The network’s annual seminar taking place today focuses on the needs and key social concerns prioritised by the organisation.

The network also serves the interests of the two million members who live and work in the LESE region and it works on behalf of all working people and their families.

The 2019 seminar themed: I Care Because You Do (Loneliness and Isolation) features keynote speakers including CWU deputy general secretary Terry Pullinger speaking on the collective defined contribution pension scheme.

Age UK (Camden), Campaign to End Loneliness and Independent Age, will all report their observations and 2019-20 work programmes.

Olivia Field gives update on British Red Cross in association with the co-op report: Barriers to Belonging — research that explores the experiences of loneliness among people from black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds in Britain.

The seminar closes with a discussion led by the National Pensioners Convention (NPC) and campaigners on the government-led changes to TV licences, which have a particular impact on pensioners.

The BBC recently announced plans to means-test TV licences for the over-75s. That means licences will only be free for people receiving pension credit.

Campaigners believe this change will harm millions of older people who rely on their television for companionship.

Campaigners implore the government to reinstall responsibility for funding free TV licences.

The Save the TV Licence campaign petition has received over 630,000 support signatures, and campaigning by NPC, Age UK, unified partners and local community campaigns continues.

The NPC and others have also written to Prime Minister Boris Johnson requesting he stick by the manifesto pledge to protect free TV licences for over-75s.

Bectu and LESE president Tony Lennon will also reflect on how such changes affect union members in the field.
 
TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady said: “After a decade of unfair austerity, this is another blow to pensioners. The government should never have palmed responsibility for pensioner’s free TV licences off to the BBC. They should take responsibility for this now and restore the benefit to all over-75s.”

The LESE Pensioners’ Network would like to thank; Age UK, Prospect/Bectu, the British Red Cross, Campaign to End Loneliness, CWU, Independent Age, the National Pensioners Convention, the Shrewsbury 24 Campaign, Unite, Unison Greater London, and most importantly all delegates for their contributions to the annual seminar support on integral issues.

To join LESE Pensioners’ Network work programme or receive LESE general information contact [email protected], call (020) 7467-1220, or visit www.tuc.org.uk/london-east-and-southeast.