HUNDREDS of pensioners rallied outside the Houses of Parliament yesterday to protest at cuts to local services and changes to their pensions.

Some wore masks of Nick Clegg and David Cameron at the rally organised by the National Pensioners Convention (NPC).

Many carried walking sticks or sat in wheelchairs as they waved placards and chanted: “They say cut back, we say fight back.”

Among their concerns was the 27per cent cut in grants to local authorities announced in last week’s spending review, as councils provide much of the social care on which some pensioners depend.

The NPC also said the linking of state pensions to the Consumer Price Index (CPI), rather than the Retail Price Index (RPIX), would lead to below-inflation rises in the value of pensions.

One of the delegation was 68-year-old Chorley resident Dave Brown, the chairman of the North West Pensioners’ Forum, who travelled to London for the day.

He met a number of Lancashire MPs including Ribble Valley’s Nigel Evans, and Chorley representative Lindsay Hoyle.

He said: “I have never seen London so busy in October – it was absolutely heaving.

“I think we got our point across, and I enjoyed my day. I felt better about this demonstration than in previous years.”

Dot Gibson, general secretary of the NPC, said: “We know that when local councils are deprived of 27per cent they are going to cut services that our people depend on and that’s going to have an enormous impact on frail, elderly and disabled people. They will be left isolated and at risk.”

Ms Gibson, 76, said pensioners had a responsibility to stand up for the future of the welfare state.

She said: “There were many of us who were there in 1945 and it had a huge effect on. People said we’re not going back to the 1930s and 1920s, we want a better society.”

Addressing the protesters, Caroline Lucas, Green MP for Brighton Pavilion, called for a minimum pension of at least £170 a week, £30 higher than the £140 proposed by the coalition government.

Speaking on the same platform, Kelvin Hopkins, Labour MP for Luton North, called for the state pension to rise to £200 by 2015.

Mr Hopkins said: “We have a fight on our hands, not just for pensioners but for all working people. This government has started a right-wing revolution which has to be reversed.

“I think we perhaps need to take a leaf out of the book of the French.”

Jim Stephens, an 84-year-old veteran of the Second World War, said: "I think in some ways this government is tackling this situation but there are still things we feel must be dealt with and the current level of pensions is far too low."

A Department of Work and Pensions spokeswoman said: "We are absolutely committed to ensuring pensioners get the support they need in retirement.

"This is why we restored the earnings link for the basic state pension, kept our promise to protect winter fuel payments and permanently increased the cold weather payments to £25."