£140 pension plan supported

RADICAL plans to create a flat-rate £140-a-week state pension have been strongly supported in a public consultation.

Over three-quarters of organisations favoured the creation of a single-tier pension in principle, which would combine the basic state pension and the state second pension.

The current basic state pension is 102.15 a week for men and women but this can be topped up with pension credit to a minimum income of 137.35. Ministers want to simplify the pension system and said that a weekly 140 flat rate would significantly reduce the need for low-income pensioners to apply for credit.