Speaking ahead of Jeremy Hunt's 17 November mini-Budget, the prime minister said that pensioners were "at the forefront of my mind" and promised that the chancellor's tax-and-spend plans had "fairness and compassion" at their hearts.
As they welcomed his comments, one charity warned that the triple lock commitment could mean the difference between "frightened" pensioners using their central heating or not this winter. But against the backdrop of a widespread cost of living crisis, Mr Sunak faced calls to commit to raising all benefits, including those for working-age people, in line with prices.
Ryan Shorthouse, chief executive of the Conservative think tank Bright Blue, said: "It is intellectually indefensible to protect the value of the state pension in line with inflation but not universal credit. Either both rise by inflation or both rise by earnings."
Karl Handscomb, senior economist at the Resolution Foundation think tank, said: "With the cost of living crisis set to continue, and possibly even deepen, next year, it's important that the chancellor sticks to pledges made this summer by his recent predecessor, and now prime minister, Rishi Sunak that all benefits for working-age families, as well as pensioners - are uprated in line with prices next year."
This story is from the November 15, 2022 edition of The Independent.
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This story is from the November 15, 2022 edition of The Independent.
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