DESPITE many pensioners protesting in London today, representatives from the Huddersfield and District Pensioners Organisation will not be there.

Chairman Noreen Logan, who has been with the organisation since 1996, said it was the first time in 10 years that a group member has not gone.

She said: “We will not be going but we have been very busy talking to our MPs.

“Jason McCartney spoke to his constituents about pensions and Barry Sheerman is due to talk to his constituents in support of today’s march.

“We have been going every year, even since before I came to the society.

“We hope that the winter fuel allowance will be raised as England has one of the highest winter death figures for older people in Europe.

“We hope that figure is something the Government will eliminate by giving us more money.”

The rally aims to lobby MPs on three basic Rights in Retirement:

Raise the basic state pension above the official poverty level.

Get a National Care Service paid for through general taxation.

Achieve a winter fuel allowance of £500 per pensioner household.

In the winter of 2010, 25,400 older people died of cold related illnesses, says the National Pensioner’s Convention.