Britain's biggest pensioner organisation, the National Pensioners Convention (NPC), will tomorrow (Oct 21) launch a Pensioners' Manifesto for the forthcoming general election. The launch will take place at 1-3pm, Committee Room 14, House of Commons. Speakers will include Angela Eagle MP, Pensions Minister, Tony Watts, Editor of Mature Times and Dot Gibson NPC general secretary.

Over the coming months the NPC plans to put the manifesto before prospective parliamentary candidates as a way of highlighting the concerns of Britain’s 11m older voters – and the campaign message will be clear – “Use your vote for those candidates that support the Pensioners’ Manifesto”.

The six major manifesto areas that pensioners would like the major parties to address in their own policies include:

• Raising the basic state pension above the official poverty level (estimated at £165 a week in 2009), and linking it to the higher of earnings or prices.

• Introducing free long-term and social care funded from general taxation which would be provided without the need for means- testing, rationing or a postcode lottery.

• Good quality local services to be funded through national income tax rather than council tax.

• Free UK-wide travel to be extended to all forms of public transport (buses, trams and local rail) to encourage independence and greater mobility, as well as helping the environment and reducing demand on care services.

• Ending age discrimination where it adversely affects the opportunities, goods and services available to older people.

• Raising the winter fuel allowance to £500 per pensioner household to tackle fuel poverty and winter deaths.

Dot Gibson, NPC general secretary said: "Pensioners are fed up with MPs of all parties being more interested in their own expenses than the needs of their older constituents. One in four older people still live in poverty, over 20,000 die every year of cold related illnesses and the cost and quality of care that pensioners receive is a national scandal. Whilst it’s true that pensioners don’t vote on block, they are more likely than any other section of society to turn out to the polling booth. That’s why all the political parties need to realise that if they want our votes, they must start addressing our concerns.”

Mature Times editor Tony Watts added: "Millions of pensioners now find themselves on a State pension that – even by the Government’s own measurements - means they would live below the poverty line unless they go cap in hand for means-tested benefits.

"This is not fair, it's not just and it strips people of their dignity. It is not even effective. Billions of pounds worth of benefits each year go unclaimed – because so many people find the system is too complex, too intrusive or too demeaning.

"Those on the lowest incomes cannot understand why their pension has to be topped up by a complex array of means-tested benefits and annual hand-outs in order for them to keep body and soul together.

"Those who have worked hard all their lives find it hard to fathom why - after years of sacrifice and saving - they are entitled to no benefits at all. Just a straight, inadequate pension. And we all know how much that is.

"So the money they have saved and scrimped together is now being used up not to give them a cushion in older age, and perhaps a few comforts, but to cover essentials: their weekly groceries, their council tax; their ever-rising fuel bills."

Harnessing the political power of older people is the only way that change will be achieved, he said: "You have to make each of the parties stand up before the next election, and state unequivocally what they will do for you. No ifs, no buts, no possiblys. But pledges that they are then held to. "Only by bringing together all the voting power of older people are you likely to really effect change in this country."