Dawlish News

Devon pensioner Peter Fountain has to think twice before turning the heating on in his home because of his meagre income.The retired builder who lives with his wife Margaret in Meadow Rise, Dawlish, says their basic state pension is insufficient to cover the costs of council tax and utility bills as well as food and petrol to run their car. Their income, a combined Government pension of £147 a week, forces them to economise, even if it means keeping the heating switched off in winter. Mr Fountain, 83, who served in the Home Guard in the Second World War, said: "We get by but have to plan everything. We don't eat out often and haven't gone on holiday for a couple of years and think twice before putting the heating on." His wife, 74, who continued working as a secretary until two years ago to supplement her pension, said: "I don't think people should have to kneel down and beg and scrape in order to get the money that is theirs and we fail to see why we've got to justify our income to get these benefits. "We just about scrape through but there are lots of people who can't and we feel we have to support them."