DOESN'T Nick Holt (Letters, February 8) realise today's pensioners lived through a war, many of them through two wars and a depression, in which, if you didn't have a job, you didn't eat?

It has taken most people all their time to exist from week to week, never mind save. Also, pensioners may live off Mr Holt's contributions now, but they have certainly paid into the system during their working lives.

Their contributions gave Mr Holt an education for one thing. Their loved ones may have paid with their lives so that he can enjoy today. Even now, many don't get all they are entitled to because they are too proud to ask for what they consider is charity.

When the health service came into force they were promised they would be looked after from cradle to grave. What happened to those promises?

Many of them scrimped to buy their own home so they would have something to leave their children to give them a better start than they had. Now, they are afraid they'll lose all that if they have to go into care.

I agree things are more expensive today, but you don't have to have computers and mobile phones, designer gear and suchlike. Pensioners know if they can't afford something they have to do without, because that's how it has always been for them. It still costs them as much for food, clothes, TV licences and to generally keep and maintain their homes.

If Mr Holt is paying a lot of tax, he should think himself lucky he's earning enough to do so - many are not.

EDNA BEACH, Brecon Avenue, Oswaldtwistle.

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