THE Chairman of Bridgwater Senior Citizens’ Forum has raised concerns about how the Spending Review will affect pensioners.

Phil Sealey welcomed the continued winter fuel allowance and free TV licences for the over 75s, but said: “Fundamentally, I’m concerned it’s all happened too quickly.

“Although they say they have protected things like social care for older people, and I think they have implied there’s more funding for social care, the devil is in the detail.”

Mr Sealey said he was not against raising the retirement age to 66 for men and women, but called for the state pension to be increased from its current figure of £95.25 per week.

He said: “I wouldn’t have thought it’s a terrible hardship [working until 66]. A lot of older people are keeping much more active and prefer to remain in employment.”