THE government's recent announcements of free eye tests, bigger pensions and half price travel for seniors may have made many people of pension age think that Christmas had come early this year.

As each of these areas has been a part of our national Agenda for Action for some time now, we - and the other organisations with whom we have campaigned for change - are naturally pleased that election pledges to Britain's 18 million over-50s are now being fulfilled.

But there is still a long way to go: the basic State Pension and the proposed minimum level of £75 (for a single pensioner) precludes anyone with even a modest occupational pension or other source of income from benefiting if it takes their income above a figure, which is a far-from-realistic assessment of the amount needed to live in reasonable comfort.

The many inconsistencies in transport concessionary schemes for seniors - the biggest being the discrepancy that grants such fares to women over the age of 60 while men must wait until they are 65 - is something that also needs to be addressed, but which could take up to two years to reach the statute book.

With the scent of victory for older people's causes still fresh in the air, we believe that it is important for associations such as ours, who work at both local and national level, to keep up the pressure on government for the issues of concern to seniors everywhere.

Don Steele, executive director of the Association of Retired and Persons over 50, would welcome campaign suggestions for the new millennium. Please write to him at our national headquarters, Greencoat House, Francis Street, London SW1P 1DZ.

HEDLEY SHARPLES (Chairman, Blackburn and East Lancashire ARP/050 Friendship Centre), Revidge Road, Blackburn.

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