Going up.

 I’m now 82 and soon to be 83 in December. So the - so called state pension, triple lock is good news for me and many other OAP’s across the country. My pension - according to press reports go to on average £12,548 per annum, from April next year. There is now great controversy about the policy and many economists consider it totally - unaffordable in the long term. That may indeed be the case, but from my selfish point of view, it’s a - necessary evil and protects me from poverty in old age. In addition I’m fortunate to have a small occupation pension from when I was a social worker in Westminster. I had for many years a pension scheme with Equitable Life. At the time the oldest mutual pension company in the world. Many MP’s including the chancellor Gordon Brown, had a pension with them. Unfortunately in 2000, the company went - bust and we all lost our pension contributions. In a compensation scheme - we had some redress, but nothing comparable to the money we had all invested over years. Nevertheless, I consider myself most fortunate, under the circumstances. So I’m pleased it’s going up.