PROTECT UNIVERSAL BENEFITS

On Sunday 7 October 2012, the Prime Minister, David Cameron gave an assurance that he would not cut universal benefits for pensioners such as free bus passes and winter fuel payments. This statement is the exact opposite of that made by his Coalition partner, Nick Clegg who has stated his support for stripping so-called “rich” […]

Failure to act on National Conference Motion 62

The South East Regional Police & Justice Committee wishes conference to acknowledge its grave disappointment that the Union in General has failed to act on the National Conference Motion 62 to promote and publicise the PCC elections in November. Conference instructs the SGE to raise this with National Office and require a report as to […]

Olympics Bailout the true cost

Conference notes with concern the failure of G4s to fulfill it’s contract to provide security services for the London 2012 Olympics between 29th July and 17th August 2012. The use of Police Officers and Armed services to fill gaps put additional strain on local policing services and additional cost to the exchequer/Tax Payer. Conference believes […]

Protection of pensioner exemption from national insurance contributions

In the 2011 budget, the Chancellor revealed plans to merge income tax and national insurance, asserting “It is time that we take this historic step to simplify our tax system and make it fit for the modern age”. At present, those who have reached state pension age are exempt from paying any further national insurance […]

Care for the Elderly

Given the increasing numbers of elderly people in the next 35 years who will need residentail and/or nursing care, Conference is dismayed at the apparent complacency of successive Governments to tackle this issue. Polls indicate that 82% support the concept that everyone should pay for this care through general taxation, a policy which UNISON supports. […]

RETIRED MEMBERS’ ANNUAL REPORT TIMETABLE

This Conference recalls that a motion was submitted by the South East Region to last year’s Retired Members’ Conference agenda, on the above subject, which was ruled non-competent by the Standing Orders’ Committee being ‘Beyond the Remit of the Conference’ since the timetable for all UNISON’s annual reports is set by the National Executive Council. […]

Basic State Pension/Pension Credit Guarantee

This National Retired Members Conference is concerned that the Basic State Pension (BSP) and Pension Credit (means-tested) are still well below the poverty level. According to the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, the Minimum Income Standard for 2011 for a single pensioner, excluding rent or mortgage, is £154.62 per week, and for a pensioner couple £232.74 per […]

QUALITY AND OUTCOMES FRAMEWORK TARGETS FOR OSTEOPOROSIS

Osteoporosis (literally meaning porous bones) occurs when the trabecular structure of bones becomes thin causing them to become fragile and break more easily. By far the most likely people to suffer from osteoporosis are older people, and particularly older women. At the end of last year, after many years of campaigning by the National Osteoporosis […]

Care in Retirement & the National Pensioners Convention Dignity Code

The National Pensioners Convention (NPC) has produced a Dignity Code to uphold the rights and maintain the personal dignity of older people, within the context of ensuring the health, safety and well being of those who are increasingly less able to care for themselves or to properly conduct their affairs. Copy attached below. Signatories to […]

Winter Fuel Allowance

Conference is very concerned that the Coalition Government’s Budget on 21 March 2012 did nothing to help pensioners who are unable to cope with high winter fuel bills. The Winter Fuel Allowance was reduced in March 2011 by £100 (down from £400 to £300) for the over 80’s households and by £50 (down from £250 […]

RETIRED MEMBERS: TECHNOLOGY

It is becoming increasingly apparent that some Unison retired members in Branches and Regions are experiencing difficulties in communicating with colleagues as they are not computer literate or able to afford computers, or their health makes it difficult to use. Therefore, this Unison National Retired Members Conference instructs the National Retired Members Committee and calls […]

Frozen Pensions

FROZEN PENSIONS Conference deplores the government’s “frozen pensions” policy whereby British pensioners who live abroad in certain countries only receive a pension at the rate it was in the year they left the UK. There are around 555,000 “frozen” pensioners around the world, almost half of whom live in Australia. One of the oldest is […]

Security of Tenure

Conference is concerned to learn that some residents in care homes may not have security of tenure and that due to a number of factors could find themselves being evicted at short notice. Conference condemns the continuing privatisation of the residential care sector which seems largely to be responsible for this alarming new problem and […]

Scottish Police Value Added Tax (VAT) liability

The Scottish Government has put a Police and Fire Reform bill before Parliament. One of the aims of the bill is to realise considerable savings through the efficiencies of rationalisation. The new Police Service for Scotland will involve an amalgamation of the current 8 Forces and Scottish Police Services Authority (SPSA) into one Scottish Force. […]

Outsourcing, Low Pay and the Living Wage

This conference notes the devastating effects that the proposed outsourcing and privatisation processes being undertaken by West Midlands and Surrey Police forces will have on the Police Service and the communities that they serve. This conference believes that outsourcing will never be of benefit to our members, and that direct employment within the public sector […]