Author Archives: Tony Lynes

About Tony Lynes

Tony Lynes worked in the field of social security and pensions for over 40 years. After qualifying as a Chartered Accountant, he worked with Professor Richard Titmuss at the London School of Economics from 1958 to 1965, became the first full-time secretary of the Child Poverty Action Group in 1966, and was a social security adviser to Labour Secretaries of State from 1974 to 1979. His past publications include books and pamphlets on pensions, the Penguin Guide to Supplementary Benefits, and a weekly column on benefits in New Society and the New Statesman. Until 1997 he assisted Labour shadow social security ministers and he claims to have drafted more (and better) amendments to social security bills than anyone else, alive or dead. In recent years he has been a pensions adviser to the National Pensioners Convention and has worked with pensioners' groups in Southwark (south-east London). His other interests include music - in his "retirement" he runs the CYM Library (the music library of the Centre for Young Musicians), which lends sets of choral, orchestral and band music to schools and amateur music groups in all parts of the UK.

Reducing health inequalities – a call to action: Why we must focus on the Vital 5

Posted on October 30, 2019 by Tony Lynes

Keynote speaker: Prof John Moxham, Director of Value Based Healthcare, King’s Health Partners Delivered on 30 October 2019 on the occasion of the Third Tony Lynes Memorial Lecture Download slides (PDF, 1.7mb) Listen to the lecture (1hour 30 mins)

Posted in Blog | Leave a comment

Second Memorial Lecture, 31st October 2017: “Young or old, loneliness doesn’t discriminate”

Posted on October 31, 2017 by Tony Lynes

Delivered by Rachel Reeves MP on 31st October 2017 at William Booth College, Champion Park, London INTRODUCTION Good afternoon everyone. I am honoured to be here today to give the second Tony Lynes Memorial Lecture on the subject of loneliness. … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog | Leave a comment

First Tony Lynes Annual Memorial Lecture

Posted on October 7, 2015 by Tony Lynes

The first Annual Memorial Lecture in honour of Tony was held on 7th October 2015 at William Booth College, Denmark Hill. The speaker was Paul Flynn MP, on the topic of ‘Abolishing sin’. With thanks to Mayor Dora Dixon-Fyle for … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog | Leave a comment

Tony Lynes 1929-2014

Posted on October 24, 2014 by Tony Lynes

Tony sadly died after being hit by a car in Herne Hill on 12 October 2014. This site is maintained by his family. Professor Jonathan Bradshaw wrote an obituary in The Guardian on the 22nd October An article about Tony was … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog | 1 Comment

Event to celebrate the life of Tony Lynes, 23rd October 2014

Posted on October 23, 2014 by Tony Lynes

An event celebrating his life was held on Thursday 23rd October, at the Conway Hall. A recording of the event can be found below:

Posted in Blog | 1 Comment

Southwark pensioners explore local history

Posted on October 13, 2013 by Tony Lynes

Twenty-six people, including Southwark’s distinguished historian Stephen Humphrey and local pensioner activists Tony and Sally Lynes, attended a meeting held on 4th September 2013 to discuss the formation of a Local History group at Southwark Pensioners Centre in south-east London. … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog | Leave a comment

Below you will find Tony Lynes’s comments, views and research findings on the following subjects: Music: public library charges illegal?  (11.9.13) Single-tier pension – but not for today’s pensioners?  (24.2.13) Child benefit – a better way of sharing the cost.  … Continue reading →

Posted on September 14, 2013 by Tony Lynes | Comments Off on

Music: public library charges illegal?

Posted on September 11, 2013 by Tony Lynes

Public library charges for lending printed music This article presents the results, up to September 2013, of ongoing research by Tony Lynes on behalf of Making Music.  It summarises the legislation relating to local authorities’ duty to provide a music … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog | Leave a comment

Single-tier pension – but not for today’s pensioners?

Posted on February 24, 2013 by Tony Lynes

At present, people under pension age pay national insurance contributions which entitle them to two kinds of state pension – flat-rate and earnings-related. Those whose employers provide an earnings-related pension scheme can be “contracted out” of the state earnings-related pension, … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog | Leave a comment

Child benefit – a better way of sharing the cost

Posted on January 4, 2011 by Tony Lynes

Figures given in reply to a Parliamentary Question on 15 November offer a much simpler and much fairer alternative to the Government’s widely criticised plan to withdraw child benefit from higher rate taxpayers. The Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog | Leave a comment