Ivor Caplin MP is proud of the Government's minimum income guarantee for pensioners (The Argus, November 7).

What a pity a return to the average wages index-linked State pension is still ruled out and the poorest pensioners have to fill out a lengthy, complicated form in order to receive a top-up to the low State pension.

MPs vote themselves large salary increases and one of the best pension schemes in the land yet still deny our old people the dignity of an adequate pension without them having to ask for charity, as many of them see it.

-S Wells, Montefiore Road, Hove