THE chairman of a Vale pensioners group has criticised Gordon Brown's pre-budget report claiming it does nothing to help the elderly.

Fred Kaler from the Evesham and District Pensioners Association responded to the Chancellor of the Exchequer's latest statement by saying "not enough is being done for those most in need" and labelling some of the policies "a disgrace".

In last week's report Mr Brown said he would increase the state pension by 3.6 per cent next April, in line with inflation. This means the pension credit minimum guarantee will rise by £5-a-week for single people aged 60 and over, and by £7.65 for couples.

But, according to Mr Kaler, this good news is tempered by hefty council tax bills and a rise in the price of other costs such as food and fuel, which continue to leave many pensioners living below the poverty line. "Mr Brown has tried to make it sound like a positive situation but he has offered nothing with any immediate benefit for todays older people. There are more and more pensioners living below the poverty line and countless more struggling to make the cost of council tax and other essential bills.

"By the time anything changes then millions of the current elderly population will have died. It is a disgrace."

He added: "It is particularly bad for some women who don't get their full pensions because they work full-time and if anything happens to their husband then they suffer financially as well."

Speaking about the help elderly get with the cost of winter fuel bills Mr Kaler said: "A lot of pensioners are grateful for it but if they had decent pensions in the first place it wouldn't be needed. I doubt many people will be feeling any benefits at present."

The winter fuel payment currently stands at £200 with those over aged 80 granted an extra £100. But the Chancellor resisted calls from groups such as Energywatch, Save the Children and the Citizens Advice Bureau to extend the payment to groups such as lone parents and the disabled.

Pensioners group Age Concern were also concerned by Mr Brown's speech. They believe the elderly are still not getting the help they need to live comfortably.

The charity's director general Gordon Lishman said: "The absence of real support to help older people cope with rising energy costs means more and more older people will be left struggling to pay their bills this winter.

"The winter fuel payment was a welcome initiative for older people but it has not increased in line with energy prices and now only covers about a fifth of an average energy bill."

Mervyn Kohler, at Help the Aged added: "Gordon Brown has offered nothing to pensioners on low fixed incomes struggling with staggering fuel bills and remorselessly growing council taxes.

"While the Chancellor painted a picture of a prosperous UK economy the reality is that pensioners are facing their harshest winter for years. Pensioner poverty is an issue the Government would prefer to tackle with words instead of deeds and our elderly people will find no lifeline in the Chancellors speech."