THE following statistics can be obtained from the Government Office of Statistics and the statistics of the European Poverty Level study, all of which are available from any main library:

Average earnings: £420 a week.

Anyone who has less than 40 per cent of average earnings is deemed to be in poverty. Forty per cent of £420 is £160 a week. A pensioner couple's rate is £123.80 a week - they are below the poverty level by £44.20 a week.

The new Government pension credit for a couple, to raise income to a sum of £155.80 a week, still leaves a shortfall of £4.20 a week. If a pension credit is necessary, it should at least be at a rate to take it above the national and European statistics to alleviate poverty. However, pensioners do not want handouts, they want a decent pension.

Pensioners have been short changed for years by successive governments, especially since the link to earnings was abolished. The Labour manifesto pledged to rid this country of poverty at all levels. Enough said.

Les Sweeney,

Dalmally Close, York.

Updated: 10:09 Monday, March 15, 2004