Liz Truss and Jeremy Hunt have been warned not to betray older Britons by failing to keep a promise to increase the state pension by more than 10%.

The Government is considering ditching a promise to increase pensions in line with inflation due to the squeeze on the public finances in the wake of the mini-budget fiasco.

Under the policy, from April next year the state pension and benefits would increase by 10.1%, the figure for consumer price index inflation in September.

But Downing Street said the commitment to increase pensions in line with inflation – which was confirmed as recently as October 2 by the Prime Minister – was now under review.

Campaigners warned that failing to keep pensions in line with rising prices would be “devastating” and a “flagrant breach of trust”.

In response to the announcement of September’s inflation figures on Wednesday, Chancellor Mr Hunt did not refer to the pensions promise but instead said help would be targeted at the most vulnerable.

The Tory manifesto in 2019 committed to the triple lock, which guarantees the state pension will increase in line with the highest figure of average earnings, inflation or 2.5%.

The Herald:

Ms Truss, who is battling to save her premiership after the mini-budget and the subsequent U-turns, would face a potentially fatal revolt from Tory backbenchers if she sought to ditch the promise and instead linked pension and welfare payments to earnings rather than the higher inflation figure.

Mr Hunt said: “I understand that families across the country are struggling with rising prices and higher energy bills.

“This Government will prioritise help for the most vulnerable while delivering wider economic stability and driving long-term growth that will help everyone.”

The triple lock had been temporarily suspended for 2022-23 because earnings soared as people returned to work from furlough and coronavirus restrictions, but it was expected to be restored before inflation soared.

Age UK’s charity director Caroline Abrahams said the rate of inflation “only strengthens the case for reinstating the triple lock” and warned Ms Truss that breaking the promise would be “devastating for the millions of older people who rely on the state pension”.

She said: “Knowing their state pension would keep pace with rising prices because of the triple lock has given precious hope to many older people at a time of great anxiety. For the Government to take that away from them now would be a hammer blow, as well as a flagrant breach of trust.”