Labour accuses Rishi Sunak of threatening pensioners’ living standards

Labour has accused Prime Minister Rishi Sunak of failing pensioners and posing a threat to their living standards, as the party claims that a record number of pensioners are paying income tax.

The party said the number of over-65s paying income tax has almost doubled, from 4.5 million in 2009/10, to 8.5 million in 2023/24.

Shadow pensions secretary Liz Kendall said the Conservatives have worsened the quality of retirement.

Ms Kendall will visit pensioners in Essex on Thursday, while the Labour leader and Mr Sunak take a step back from campaigning to attend D-Day commemoration events in Normandy.

She said: “Rishi Sunak was recently asked why he hates pensioners.

“It’s not hard to see why when they have so profoundly failed pensioners, from increasing levels of pensioner poverty, to breaking their promise on the triple lock, Rishi Sunak and the Tories have worsened the quality of retirement.

“Now the Tories pose a new threat to pensioners’ living standards, with reckless unfunded spending commitments and a £46 billion tax black hole that threatens the economy and the future of the state pension.

“Combined with this is the fact that under their watch a record amount of over-65s are paying income tax.

“Retirement should be a time we all look forward to, but more pensioners than ever are renting into retirement, their children are returning home because they’re locked out of the housing market and soaring childcare costs mean pensioners are taking on more responsibilities they weren’t expecting.

“My message to pensioners at this general election is simple – look at your wallet, look at the quality of your healthcare and look at the lack of housing for your children and grandchildren and ask yourself, is this as good as it gets?”

The party claimed the rise in the number of pensioners paying income tax is because of freezing of income tax thresholds and people needing to work later in life, adding that Labour will “turn the page on Tory chaos with economic security and political stability”.