Yes gains for Scotland’s older people - as 50,000 lose out in Westminster cuts

Scotland is one of the wealthiest countries in the world. As an independent country, Scotland would start as one of the top 20 richest nations.

According to the Financial Times, Scotland is wealthier per head than the UK as it is today, Italy and France.

We have a range of successful industries, including life sciences, engineering, creative industries and food & drink. On top of this we have a wealth of natural resources, including a quarter of Europe’s tidal energy potential and the EU’s largest oil reserves.

In addition, with independence we can save £600m a year because we no longer pay for things like politicians at Westminster or nuclear bombs, adding to our national wealth.

For most of us though, it doesn’t feel that we live in one of the world’s very wealthiest countries, which is why a Yes is so important.

With independence we can take control and make sure our wealth delivers more opportunities for us all, across the whole of Scotland, including older Scots who have done so much to build up our wealth and strength. We can:

• provide strong guarantees that the State Pension will increase in line with the cost of living or earnings as part of a ‘triple-lock’ protection;

• use our wealth and control over our tax system to attract more employers that will invest in Scotland, in turn creating more and better local jobs. This means more opportunities for young people, closer to home – a powerful legacy from a Yes vote;

• as one of the world’s wealthiest countries, we can further develop world class public services, including a quality NHS. And, we can protect policies like free personal care and concessionary travel.

As well as using our wealth to build for the future through attracting new businesses and work opportunities across Scotland, control of our wealth will put us in a far better position to protect our society from the impact of any future global economic boom and bust.

Unlike the UK, which is one of the few oil producers in the world not to have invested its oil income, Scotland could save just some of our energy wealth in a rainy day fund to give us an effective safety net for the future.

We live in a wealthy country – let’s make it feel like it!

Together, this is what we can achieve for Scotland, with independence.

1 August Update: Tens of thousands of Scotland's poorer pensioners who have saved for their retirement are now substantially worse off due to UK government cuts.  Research by the House of Commons Library has shown 50,000 Scottish pensioners have lost benefits since 2010 with a cut of £90 million to Savings Credit.

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