MRS. A Moon is mistaken in thinking her national insurance contributions paid for her state pension, as instead they went to pay the pensions of those already retired (Warrington Guardian, August 15).

It’s a giant Ponzi scheme which elsewhere would get its perpetrators jailed.

Her pension is paid for by young people in work who do not get the benefit of guaranteed inflation busting pay increases, universal winter fuel payments, free national bus travel a third off rail fares or reduced entry fees.

The state pension triple lock has kept pensioners at the front, not the back of the pay queue.

She should not forget that those in receipt of pension credit, income support or certain other benefits will still receive the winter fuel allowance.

Fortunately, my small NHS pension for 10 years as a registered nurse is also triple locked, in massive contrast to my colleagues still at work.

The Royal College of Nurses has estimated that the median nurse salary has fallen by 25 per cent since 2010 due to years of below inflation pay rises.

No wonder the Government scrambles around sub-Saharan, third-world countries, desperate for nurses to migrate to Britain, the very people dog whistle Farage then tells you are the cause of all your woes.

While there is no hypothecation of taxes raised, the next time Mrs Moon is visiting the hospital and sees a nurse walk by, she can say ‘that’s my winter fuel allowance’ and feel proud of herself.

We must hope that nurses get a reasonable pay increase for the sake of pensioners like us, who disproportionally rely on the NHS

ALLAN RALSTON

Callands

I WANTED to reply to the reader moaning about the removal of winter fuel allowance.

Pensioners get lots of benefits – free bus, travel, guaranteed rises every year, finishing work in their 60s.

They will still get the winter fuel money if they are on low incomes. Yet what about working people today?

If you work for the public sector like I do – far worse pensions than 50 years ago, the prospect of working until 70 and below inflation rises.

In an ideal world, we would all get lots of state handouts, but the Government is not made of money, and it is only fair it is spread around.

NICK BARNES

Latchford