'Pensioners have been prioritised...Hunt hits back at claims older voters lost out

JEREMY Hunt has hit back at economists who say older voters are his Budget's biggest losers.

- Sam Lister

The Chancellor insisted the Government had done an "enormous amount" for pensioners.

He said they had been prioritised through the triple lock pledge that has raised the state pension by record levels.

It is a commitment to uprate the state pension every year by whatever is higher of earnings growth, inflation or 2.5%.

However, economists have said analysis of all tax and benefit policies since 2019 shows that on aver age, households headed by someone aged 18-45 will gain £590. But people over 66 face a £770 loss.

Mr Hunt, who visited the AstraZeneca Factory in Speke, Liverpool, yesterday, said: "We've done an enormous amount for pensioners. This Government introduced the triple lock. We have really prioritised pensioners."

Mr Hunt has announced a second 2p national insurance cut, at a cost of £10billion. But while the total 4p-inthe-pound reduction puts about £900 extra a year in workers' pockets, it does not help pensioners.

Analysis by the Institute for Fiscal Studies found more than 60% of older people would now pay income tax and most would be £650 a year worse off by 2027.

That loss increases to more than £3,000 a year if they are higherrate taxpayers.

LibDem party research seen by the Daily Express suggests pensioner anger could be a major threat to Tory "Blue Wall" constituencies.