GMB Northants Branch Secretary Alan Irwin and Branch President Jackie Grover attended the GMB National Retired Members Conference 2025 in London on the 21st October 2025
They presented two motions to conference which were supported by members. The two motions are below:
They presented two motions to conference which were supported by members. The two motions are below:
COMBATTING PENSIONER POVERTY: A CALL TO ACTIOn
Friends, delegates, fellow members of the GMB. This motion is something that should shake our conscience to its very core and demand our action. Right now, in one of the richest countries in Europe, nearly two million of our most vulnerable citizens are living in poverty.
Two million pensioners. Two million people who built this nation, who paid their taxes, who kept our economy running—and now, in their twilight years, they cannot afford to heat their homes or put food on their tables.
Nearly one in five pensioners is living below the poverty line. Let that sink in. These aren't statistics on a page—these are parents, our grandparents, our neighbours. They are people of dignity who deserve better.
And what have we have seen from this government needs serious reflection as to the decisions they have taken to protect the most vulnerable in society. We've seen the shameful attempt to strip away Winter Fuel Payments—only reversed when they faced our righteous outcry.
We've seen a benefits system so complex, so strangled in red tape, that nearly a million eligible pensioners don't even know what they're entitled to. Imagine that—880,000 people, locked out by bureaucracy. It's not cruel by accident; it's cruel by design.
The system is broken. Digital barriers exclude those who simply want to apply. Means testing is arbitrary and humiliating. And the worst part? Many of our most vulnerable pensioners fall just outside the qualifying thresholds—not quite poor enough for help, but nowhere near comfortable.
That's not a safety net; that's a betrayal. But this doesn't have to be our reality. We demand action. Real action. Not promises—action. We call on our union to push government to raise the state pension to a level that actually eliminates pensioner poverty. We demand they scrap the bureaucratic nightmare that is our benefits system and introduce automatic enrolment for Pension Credit.
If someone is eligible, they should get the support. No questions. No forms. No waiting
We have enough GMB sponsored MPs to push that agenda in the House. Step up to the plate, make the case and let’s hear your voice in Westminster! We demand investment in social care, because poverty in old age isn't just about pensions—it's about dignity in every aspect of life.
And we, as a union, must lead. We must launch a campaign that wakes this nation and this government up, to what pensioner poverty really means. We must build a coalition with pensioner organizations and every ally who believes in justice. We must make a noise. We must make change!
Here's the truth that should drive us all: pensioner poverty is not inevitable. It's a choice. Every government decision that erodes support for older people is a choice. And that choice says something deeply troubling—it says that we do not value the lives of those who built our society.
But that's not who we are. That's not who the GMB or any other union is all about. We care for all our members and we will do whatever it takes to protect them beyond their place of work and into their retirement.
The treatment we give to today's pensioners is the promise we're making to tomorrow's workers. The world our members will inherit depends on the stand and the decisions we take today and if you allow this generation to suffer, you are signing up to the same fate yourselves.
So, I'm asking this union, my union and all unions, to stand with pensioners. Campaign against every attempt to strip their rights. Demand your government act. Join us in building a movement for dignity and security in old age, because we are here, we are listening, we will be heard and we will act!
Pensioner poverty is a political choice. Let's choose differently. Let's choose humanity. Let's choose to fight, to push back, and to build a Britain where growing old is not a sentence to hardship—but a reward for a life of contribution.
The time for action is now. And we will not be silent. I move you to support this motion.
Alan Irwin
21st October 2025
Two million pensioners. Two million people who built this nation, who paid their taxes, who kept our economy running—and now, in their twilight years, they cannot afford to heat their homes or put food on their tables.
Nearly one in five pensioners is living below the poverty line. Let that sink in. These aren't statistics on a page—these are parents, our grandparents, our neighbours. They are people of dignity who deserve better.
And what have we have seen from this government needs serious reflection as to the decisions they have taken to protect the most vulnerable in society. We've seen the shameful attempt to strip away Winter Fuel Payments—only reversed when they faced our righteous outcry.
We've seen a benefits system so complex, so strangled in red tape, that nearly a million eligible pensioners don't even know what they're entitled to. Imagine that—880,000 people, locked out by bureaucracy. It's not cruel by accident; it's cruel by design.
The system is broken. Digital barriers exclude those who simply want to apply. Means testing is arbitrary and humiliating. And the worst part? Many of our most vulnerable pensioners fall just outside the qualifying thresholds—not quite poor enough for help, but nowhere near comfortable.
That's not a safety net; that's a betrayal. But this doesn't have to be our reality. We demand action. Real action. Not promises—action. We call on our union to push government to raise the state pension to a level that actually eliminates pensioner poverty. We demand they scrap the bureaucratic nightmare that is our benefits system and introduce automatic enrolment for Pension Credit.
If someone is eligible, they should get the support. No questions. No forms. No waiting
We have enough GMB sponsored MPs to push that agenda in the House. Step up to the plate, make the case and let’s hear your voice in Westminster! We demand investment in social care, because poverty in old age isn't just about pensions—it's about dignity in every aspect of life.
And we, as a union, must lead. We must launch a campaign that wakes this nation and this government up, to what pensioner poverty really means. We must build a coalition with pensioner organizations and every ally who believes in justice. We must make a noise. We must make change!
Here's the truth that should drive us all: pensioner poverty is not inevitable. It's a choice. Every government decision that erodes support for older people is a choice. And that choice says something deeply troubling—it says that we do not value the lives of those who built our society.
But that's not who we are. That's not who the GMB or any other union is all about. We care for all our members and we will do whatever it takes to protect them beyond their place of work and into their retirement.
The treatment we give to today's pensioners is the promise we're making to tomorrow's workers. The world our members will inherit depends on the stand and the decisions we take today and if you allow this generation to suffer, you are signing up to the same fate yourselves.
So, I'm asking this union, my union and all unions, to stand with pensioners. Campaign against every attempt to strip their rights. Demand your government act. Join us in building a movement for dignity and security in old age, because we are here, we are listening, we will be heard and we will act!
Pensioner poverty is a political choice. Let's choose differently. Let's choose humanity. Let's choose to fight, to push back, and to build a Britain where growing old is not a sentence to hardship—but a reward for a life of contribution.
The time for action is now. And we will not be silent. I move you to support this motion.
Alan Irwin
21st October 2025
| health_in_retirement_oct_2025.pdf |
Health in Retirement
Conference, this motion draws our attention to talk about a scandal that’s happening in plain sight. Right now, in 2025, in one of the world's wealthiest nations, millions of pensioners are being systematically abandoned by the very health care service they spent their lives building and paying for. Let me be blunt: the NHS is institutionally ageist. There, I've said it. And before anyone accuses me of NHS-bashing, let me be clear—I love the NHS. But loving something means demanding it does better, especially when it's failing so many people at the point of need.
Here's the uncomfortable truth: we've digitized healthcare at breakneck speed, and we've left an entire generation behind. Pensioners who survived wars, rebuilt this country, and paid taxes for decades are now told they must book appointments online, access test results through apps, and navigate labyrinthine websites just to see a doctor. When did we decide that digital literacy was a prerequisite for healthcare. When did we decide that if you can't use a smartphone, you don't deserve timely treatment?
And let's talk about waiting times. Eighteen months for a hip replacement. Two years for cataract surgery. Twelve months to see a dentist. These aren't just statistics—these are years stolen from people's lives. When you're 75, waiting two years isn't the same as waiting two years when you're 25. It's a death sentence by bureaucracy. Every day in pain is a day that can't be reclaimed. Every month of deteriorating vision impacts significantly and independence is slowly stripped away.
Conference, I've heard the arguments against this narrative. "It's too expensive." "We can't afford it." Let me tell you what we can't afford: the cost of social isolation when pensioners can't get to appointments. The cost of emergency admissions because preventable conditions weren't caught early. The cost of care homes filled with people who could have maintained independence with proper hearing aids, dental care, and timely treatment.
Free annual health checks for pensioners aren't a luxury—they're an investment. Every pound spent on prevention saves five pounds on emergency care. But more than that, it's a matter of basic human dignity. These are people who built the NHS. They paid for it. They deserve to benefit from it.
Some people will say this motion gives preferential treatment to older people. It’s not about that! It's not preferential treatment to meet someone’s actual needs. We don't call wheelchair ramps "preferential treatment." We call them accessibility. Age-appropriate healthcare isn't a privilege—it's equity.
The asks in this motion aren't radical. They're the bare minimum. Non-digital alternatives. Shorter waiting times. Accessible transport. Better training in geriatric care. These should be standard, not aspirational. Conference, we are at a crossroads. We can continue down this path, where getting old means being side-lined, ignored, and treated as an inconvenience to an overstretched system. Or we can demand better. We can demand an NHS that adapts to demographic reality instead of pretending it's still 1948.
Our older members built this union. They walked picket lines, fought for workers' rights and created the world we inherited. And now we're going to tell them to wait in line, figure out the app, and accept substandard care because the system can't be bothered to evolve? Lets’ respond loud and clear to that - Not on our watch!
This motion demands accountability, investment, and respect. It demands that we treat pensioners not as a burden on the system, but as human beings deserving of dignity and care. Conference, supporting this motion isn't just the right thing to do—it's the only thing to do. Because if we won't stand up for our older members, who will? And if we accept this level of care for today's pensioners, what does that say about the care we'll receive when our time comes.
Vote for this motion. Demand better. Demand action and demand to be heard! Our older people deserve nothing less.
Alan Irwin
21st October 2025
Here's the uncomfortable truth: we've digitized healthcare at breakneck speed, and we've left an entire generation behind. Pensioners who survived wars, rebuilt this country, and paid taxes for decades are now told they must book appointments online, access test results through apps, and navigate labyrinthine websites just to see a doctor. When did we decide that digital literacy was a prerequisite for healthcare. When did we decide that if you can't use a smartphone, you don't deserve timely treatment?
And let's talk about waiting times. Eighteen months for a hip replacement. Two years for cataract surgery. Twelve months to see a dentist. These aren't just statistics—these are years stolen from people's lives. When you're 75, waiting two years isn't the same as waiting two years when you're 25. It's a death sentence by bureaucracy. Every day in pain is a day that can't be reclaimed. Every month of deteriorating vision impacts significantly and independence is slowly stripped away.
Conference, I've heard the arguments against this narrative. "It's too expensive." "We can't afford it." Let me tell you what we can't afford: the cost of social isolation when pensioners can't get to appointments. The cost of emergency admissions because preventable conditions weren't caught early. The cost of care homes filled with people who could have maintained independence with proper hearing aids, dental care, and timely treatment.
Free annual health checks for pensioners aren't a luxury—they're an investment. Every pound spent on prevention saves five pounds on emergency care. But more than that, it's a matter of basic human dignity. These are people who built the NHS. They paid for it. They deserve to benefit from it.
Some people will say this motion gives preferential treatment to older people. It’s not about that! It's not preferential treatment to meet someone’s actual needs. We don't call wheelchair ramps "preferential treatment." We call them accessibility. Age-appropriate healthcare isn't a privilege—it's equity.
The asks in this motion aren't radical. They're the bare minimum. Non-digital alternatives. Shorter waiting times. Accessible transport. Better training in geriatric care. These should be standard, not aspirational. Conference, we are at a crossroads. We can continue down this path, where getting old means being side-lined, ignored, and treated as an inconvenience to an overstretched system. Or we can demand better. We can demand an NHS that adapts to demographic reality instead of pretending it's still 1948.
Our older members built this union. They walked picket lines, fought for workers' rights and created the world we inherited. And now we're going to tell them to wait in line, figure out the app, and accept substandard care because the system can't be bothered to evolve? Lets’ respond loud and clear to that - Not on our watch!
This motion demands accountability, investment, and respect. It demands that we treat pensioners not as a burden on the system, but as human beings deserving of dignity and care. Conference, supporting this motion isn't just the right thing to do—it's the only thing to do. Because if we won't stand up for our older members, who will? And if we accept this level of care for today's pensioners, what does that say about the care we'll receive when our time comes.
Vote for this motion. Demand better. Demand action and demand to be heard! Our older people deserve nothing less.
Alan Irwin
21st October 2025
| combatting_pensioner_poverty_october_2025.pdf |
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