SCOTLAND is home to around one million pensioners and the number is expected to rise by about a third over the next 20 years.

The affordability, amount and age at which pensions will be paid is one of the key referendum battlegrounds.

While Yes supporters say pensions are more affordable in an indepen-dent Scotland, opponents say current arrangements would be unsustainable with fewer contributing.

It is not expected that the pension system would change by much after a Yes vote, with the SNP promis-ing to pay pensions at £1.10 a week higher than the UK estimate. If the UK is higher by 2016, Scotland will match it.

The Savings Credit of £18 a week would be kept for the 9000 or so low income pensioners who receive it and a review would be held to decide on increasing the state pension age to 67.

The UK Government argues that Scotland would need to incur set-up costs and ensure the sustain-ability and affordability, which, it argues, will require tax rises or spending cuts.

In its Scotland Analysis report on pensions the UK Government states if Scots were to retire earlier, it would cost £6billion over 10 years and lose around £9bn in productivity.

It states spending on pensions would increase by £1.4bn a year in the next 20 years and with a lower ratio of people of working age to pensioners in Scotland, sustaining the level of pen-sions would be a problem.

The Scottish Government believes an independent country can grow the working age population and states: "Independence offers a unique opportunity to do better, establishing pens-ions on a responsible and sustainable basis."

Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said pensions will be better protected with a pledge to raise the rate by average earnings, inflation or 2.5%, whichever is the highest, known as the triple lock.

She said: "Our pens-ioners have contributed hugely to society, and are entitled to get a fair deal in return for that.

"But under Westminster rule, the state pension is second lowest in the developed world."

She said Scotland would keep the best of the current pensions system stating that after independence pensions would be paid in full and on time with current rights honoured and protected.

MS STURGEON added there will be greater protections such as the 'triple lock' and keeping Savings Credit payments.

Ms Sturgeon added: "Pensions are already more affordable for Scotland than the rest of the UK, and in an independent Scotland we will make sure our older people get the better deal they deserve."

Campaigners against independence however, state UK economies of scale make pensions more secure and affordable, with a rising elderly population.

Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown said Scots receive more in pension benefits than others in the rest of the UK, funded by everyone in the UK.

He said: "The typical Scottish pensioner receives £9411 a year in pension benefits, which is around £200 a year or £4 a week more than the typical UK pension-er. But the funding of our pensions in Scotland comes not just from money raised in Scotland by taxed levied here, but from money raised across the UK."

He said the figure that comes to pensioners in Scotland is £425m more than if payments were based on population and not on need.

He added: "Scotland will need even more to fund the next generation of pensions.

"Scottish pensioners will rise in numbers from one million to 1.3m over the next 20 years, and 30% of Scots will be over 60 in 2030 compared to just over 20% today. As a result, the benefit of this shared funding will increase from £425m this year to £700m a year within two decades."

Whether for pensioners now or in future, or those of working age who will pay for them, the issue will be a significant factor when the country votes on September 18.