SIR – I read with interest articles in the Friday, February 18, edition of the T&A’s In Our Prime over-50s supplement.

The more one approaches retirement the more one takes notice of the issues.

The only reason people welcome the opportunity to work longer is for working class people retirement means survival, and occupational pensions assist survival.

Britain has one of the worst retirement pensions in the whole of Europe. Bulgaria has better pensions and a Police Sergeant gets less than £5 per hour there. A friend of mine lives in the Republic of Ireland. A couple there gets 460 euros per week, with free travel, rates, water rates, electric and 40 euros per week winter heating allowance.

After 13 years of a Labour Government, and with the Coalition’s only contribution to make people work longer, is there any hope for hard-working people to get a decent retirement?

The new Pensions Secretary did offer the prospect of a £140 per week basic single pension, but this was described as a plan for the distant future.

Even if that were to be introduced tomorrow, it would be woefully inadequate, and would still leave the majority of British pensioners on the poverty line after working all their lives Bernard Kearns, Dixon Ave, Lidget Green