Southwark Pensioners and Simon Hughes launch Pension Centenary Celebration

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 1st Jul 2008

Southwark Pensioners Action Group (SPAG) today launched their season of celebrations to mark the centenary of the passing into law of the Old Age Pensions Act 1908 at an event hosted by Simon Hughes, MP for North Southwark and Bermondsey, in the House of Commons.

Opening the meeting Tony Farsky, the chair of SPAG, reminded the large number of pensioners present that the campaign for a state pension began in Walworth. Mr Farsky called on Southwark Pensioners now to maximise their campaign efforts to win a citizen's pension tied to earnings.

Simon Hughes addressed the assembled company on the encouraging history of social legislation at the beginning of the 20th century, which started under Balfour's Conservative government with the Unemployed Workmans Act 1903 and the Employment of Children Act 1905. This was followed and strengthened by a wave of radical and reforming social legislation from the great Liberal government of 1905 - 1916, under Campbell-Bannerman and Asquith. Over five years thirteen key pieces of social reform legislation were introduced. These included the Trade Disputes, Workmen's Compensation, Merchant Shipping and Education (Provision of Meals) Acts 1906, the Education (Administrative Provisions) Act 1907, the Coal Mines Regulation, Children and Young Persons' and Old Age Pensions Acts 1908, the Labour Exchanges, Trade Boards and Housing and Town Planning Acts 1909, the National Insurance Act 1911 and the Coal Mines (Minimum Wage) Act 1912.

The Old Age Pension Act 1908 - which passed into law in August 1908 - provided the first time for a non-contributory pension for everybody over the age of 70 in the UK. Taking effect from January 1909, men and women could then claim 5 shillings a week - a deliberately low amount intended to encourage people to continue to make their own arrangements for retirement and not rely solely on the pension scheme. Pensioners were also means-tested and subject to a test of good character; those who had had prolonged periods of unemployment or had been imprisoned were unable to benefit.

Closing his remarks Simon Hughes confirmed Liberal Democrats' commitment to reform the state pension. Mr Hughes said that Liberal Democrats believe there should be fairness for all in retirement with all pensioners having a decent income to live on, without having to fill in forms to claim means-tested benefits. The pension system needs to be fairer and simpler to make sure people get the help that they need and are entitled to and Liberal Democrats aim to introduce a Citizen's Pension and restore the earnings link to the basic state pension.

To mark the centenary, and following a suggestion for more regular meetings between MPs and pensioners on Parliamentary activity, Simon proposed that pensioners across the borough should be called to meet and discuss actual or proposed legislation three times a year. These meetings would alternate between Southwark and Westminster. Those present welcomed Simon's proposal. The first meeting of the Southwark Pensioner's Parliament will be held in the autumn of this year.

Forthcoming events which will continue these centenary celebrations include a march in Southwark on 21st September and a lobby in Westminster on 22nd October - full details are available from SPAG.