Financial Concerns.
This includes campaigning to end means testing and ensuring a state pension above poverty levels. Working with the DWP to encourage increased benefit take up in respect of Pension Credits, Housing and Council Tax Benefits. Monitoring the introduction of personal budgets under the Governments Putting People First Policy. We remain unconvinced that adequate safeguards are in place to protect pensioners from either corporate or personal abuse.

Health Care.
End age discrimination within the health service and encourage older people to claim any health related benefits they may be entitled to. Campaigning against the closure of Day Centres that the elderly, the disabled and their carers rely on to meet many of their care and social needs.

Housing.
This includes campaigning to highlight the need for affordable, accessible and decent housing for older people. This in turn includes the care home and Day Centre closures, which have and will continue to affect thousands of pensioners.

Social Deprivation.
Isolation, social, exclusion and fuel poverty must be tackled. It is pensioners who suffer most. Many pay a third of their weekly income to heat their homes leaving them with very little for food or social activities. This contributes to social exclusion loneliness and depression. Post Office closures are an ongoing issue and related to the closure of local branches of banks and building societies, making it difficult to get access to finance. Those living in outlying areas are worst hit as access to transport may often be difficult or none existent. This makes bus passes an irrelevance and the need for alternatives to be sort e.g. taxi vouchers.

No Employees.
Our elderly volunteers give up their time and energy and do all the work. We have members throughout the North East. Running costs are met partly by a small subscription from members but mainly from donations from charitable benefactors without which we would find it difficult to continue.

Equality & Health & Safety
These policies are in place for the protection and well being of NEPA volunteers and those we work with.