Pensioners’ safety net

SIR – As one of the young doctors C T R Hezlet refers to (Letters, November 20), I can confirm that young professionals are feeling the pinch and I welcome such recognition from those who are better off. Nevertheless, I have no opposition to pensioners being guaranteed their triple lock. My own recently widowed mother is one of those pensioners who has paid into the system all her adult life. I, for one, welcome this essential safety net for the older and vulnerable in society.

Dr Adam O’Connor

Manchester

SIR – CTR Hezlet says that he or she is one of the alleged cohort of 25 per cent of pensioners who have “assets of over a million pounds”, but do not tell us whether this includes the value of their home. If it does, they are probably not as well off as it seems.

In the south of England there are streets and streets of houses worth a million pounds or more, yet it is not uncommon to find elderly couples who are asset rich but cash poor, as they have lived in the area for many years. The value of their house does not help them to pay the bills.

D S Anderson

Epsom, Surrey