I have been an OAP for more years than I care to remember. Some have paid into the pension fund since the age of 14; giving 49 or 44 years qualification for a full pension, according to sex.

My husband and I are grateful to the Chancellor for the £300 towards our heating costs, the over-75s free TV licence, in addition to the existing £10 Christmas bonus and, locally, for half-price bus travel but, like others, would like a higher pension and better public services.

In this blame culture whose fault is it that we do not have these things? It is ours, the people. We voted for lower taxation in 1951 while those on the Continent financed better transport and health services.

For the past 53 years successive governments have been restricted by keeping tax down. It would be political suicide to do otherwise.

-PJ Gander, Brighton