'£470 is nothing - is beer more important than state pensioners?'

A retired healthcare worker has claimed reducing the price of beer is "more important than pensioners" to the government. Audrey Rothwell, 70, retired at 65 after working for 50 years, the majority as a healthcare assistant.

The mother-of-two, from Ripley, Derbyshire, believes pensioners are being made "surplus to requirements".

Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced that spending on the state pensions is projected to rise by 4.1 per cent - resulting in a £470 yearly increase for 12 million pensioners, but Audrey says it "won't do anything" for her. Ms Reeves also announced that she will be cutting duty on draft alcohol.

Audrey said: "Reducing the price of beer is more important than pensioners? That's disgusting to me. She mentioned that pensions will increase by £470 a year and any increase is better than nothing but at the end of the day it makes me laugh a little bit. Pensioners should be on £22,000 plus a year to be in line with living wage and I get less than £12,000 a year.

"I do like the fact they are trying to help in other areas, but a cut on beers and not helping pensioners? It doesn't make sense. It's so annoying - we're surplus to requirements."

Although Audrey admits she doesn't "desperately" need the winter fuel payment, she says she is "big on principles." She said: "Why do they keep targeting pensioners? It feels like they think of us 'you don't work any more, so you're a nuisance to us'. I worked hard for 50 years and paid my taxes, to then be treated like this. It doesn't matter which party has the power - the first thing they do is target pensioners."

While she personally can afford to heat her cottage, she feels it's the "icing on the cake" and feels pensioners are being unfairly targeted. She said: "I worked since I was 15 and I paid my tax on my pension when I earnt my wage. Now I'm taxed on my pension too.

"It's made me really angry. I'm 70, I can't go back to work. I couldn't go and do 12-hour shifts at the hospital like I used to."

Along with this, Wednesday's budget revealed that private schools will have to pay 20 per cent VAT on fees from January which Audrey has welcomed.

She said: "If you can afford to send your child to a private school in the first place, private schools should be taxed more. State schools are suffering. I know it sometimes stems from home life but there needs to be more money put back into state schools."

State pensioners are to receive a 4.1 percent boost to their payments from April next year, with the full new state pension increasing by more than £470 a year, reports the Express.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves confirmed in Wednesday's budget that payments will go up in line with the triple lock, with the full new state pension going up from £221.20 a week to £230.30 a week, an increase of £473.60 a year.

Those on the full basic state pension will get a pay boost from the current £169.50 a week up to £176.45 a week, meaning they will enjoy a £361.40 a year increase. The Chancellor told the Commons that Labour had committed to the triple lock "to ensure our pensioners are protected in their retirement".

However, many pensioners are not on the full amount, as you typically need 35 years of full National Insurance contributions to get the full new state pension and 35 years worth to get the full basic amount.