You do not pay for our pensions?

[pabird]

Like it or not pensions are to become increasingly a conversation topic

For the young its “why should I be paying for them” for the retired and soon to be retired it will be “We paid for our pensions with NI stamps and inordinate amounts of every known tax to man”

As one of the now retired (but still working) group lets see if there is any prevalent interest

Why do we consider that we have already paid for our pensions? Simple, we were always told that NI was the tool for government investment that would cover our pension

Having started work as the country was recovering from WW2 there was little or no chance of saving for pensions privately until the sixties

If you then add Wilson’s pound in your pocket failures, Maggie Thatcher’s final term interest rate chaos and big Jims abject failure where interest rates crashed through 15% and his rate of inflation topping out at circa 20+% how the hell were we to save for extra pension when being taxed to death over so many years, for the past ten years we have endured an extra tax burden imposed on a monthly basis (120 months X 157 new taxes)

Finally how much? Should the basic pension be? Try this argument, if an unattached 18 year old has the (government policy) moral right to the minimum wage then surly the country owes pensioners that same moral rights, I.E. a basic pension of circa £200 pound per week

[Big J R]

Well said pabird.

 

I seem to remember, many moons ago, being told that when I retired, I'd 'Never have to worry, as my 'pension' would look after me in retirement !'

 

Now I know why people don't trust politicians words !

[morrisonsm]

The problem is that the percentage of pensioners has increased, which is causing an extra burden on the available funds for pensions!

 

http://www.scotiafootball.com/

[pabird]

No, the extra people we must assume paid their way in life including NI

The payment of pensions at a substantially highr rate should not be debatable, it is a moral duty

[morrisonsm]

The money for pensions is not saved up in a bank account, it is paid for by the taxes paid on a yearly basis. If the number of pensioners increases, then that will obviously stretch the available funds for pensioners. It's simple economics!

 

http://earnonlinetoday.mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/

[pabird]

No, that’s what you are being fed now; we were continually told it was investment of the NI payments. Remember when we were paying over the years the retired section of the community was small indeed so what happened to the money we invested?

And please believe me the fourth richest economy in the world does not live hand to mouth

I.E. £5B to invade Iraq and a few £b on top over ten years to stay there

Civil servants can retire on a government (our money) index linked pension at 60 years of age

MPs gave themselves a massive rise in (index linked) pensions

Gordon Brown takes circa £5b per year out of private pensions

Tony Bliar said in 1997 "we are the 4th richest country in the world and under labour senior citizens will get their fair share of that wealth"

We are not seeking a "fair" share but the monies owing

[morrisonsm]

The UK may be the 4th richest country in the world, but we still have to borrow money. If we had money saved, then it would make sense to use that money first before borrowing.

 

http://earnonlinetoday.mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/

[pabird]

Agreed that being good basic economics, so is paying essential or duty bound bills first before splashing the cash

I.E. having paid NHS, Pensions, Education etc all in-line with being the 4th richest then and only then can you afford non-essentials

How sad for the government of the 4th richest to hand out winter fuel bill money to pensioners, they should be able to afford their fuel bills from the pension

How sad to allow 75 year olds to have a free TV license

It is most sad to know that increasing numbers of pensioners fall below the poverty line year on year, sad

[Bad_Egg]

 

i agree with pa bird it does my nut that i'm payin 34% of my wages to the goverment and then i'm being told that i'll have to work until i'm 67, if they're sayin that now then by the time i'm 67 i'll be workin until i pop my clogs and mrbird is rite we should be lookin after our pensioners dont tell me theres not enuff money to go round if thats the case how come we can afford to give hamza a grand a week on benefits its disgustin this government has no idea how to budget effectively and in years to come people will remember this

[Big J R]

Changing ones name to something like Mustapha, and wearing a turban is starting to have its attractions.

[The Invisible Man]

This is awful! I really must be getting old...

 

Once again I find myself agreeing with pabird and BJR.............

 

I'll have to find some old copies of Socialist Worker or the Morning Star to refresh my batteries...

[pabird]

Quote:

Bad Egg said:

i agree with pa bird it does my nut that i'm payin 34% of my wages to the goverment and then i'm being told that i'll have to work until i'm 67, if they're sayin that now then by the time i'm 67 i'll be workin until i pop my clogs and mrbird is rite we should be lookin after our pensioners dont tell me theres not enuff money to go round if thats the case how come we can afford to give hamza a grand a week on benefits its disgustin this government has no idea how to budget effectively and in years to come people will remember this

There is now a government led information leak that in the future apart from NI and income tax working people will need to suppliment their future pension by circa 20% of their income, I maybe poor at the maths caper but HOW??

[pabird]

I suggest that if anyone has doubts about how this government does not give a tuppeny toss for pensioners they read the Turner report and listen out for government response

Ask yourself this question? when will the government at least ease the agony for existing pensioners and raise the basic pension

What the hell has Brown and Bliar done with the biggest bank balance ever accepted by an incoming government (10 years ago)

[American FLEET FAN No1]

Anyone under 45 is now going to have to work another 2 years! Isn't that a good way to look after pensioners, putting off you becoming one! <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

[pabird]

Thats if they accept the findings of the Turner report, if not then you will work until you drop (if you are able to find a job)

There simply is no energy behind this governments efforts for pensioners who have worked for 48 years and earned the full NI stamp card

Maybe as pensioners are considered to be stable voters who do not change the party they vote for Brown and Bliar do not see the point?

[Bad_Egg]

 

i think its fair to say that the majority of pensioners vote tory. typical labour to punish those who have conservative leanings(ie upwardly mobile types and generally well behaved citizens)and reward their own kind with lavish benefits such as ethnic minorities,the unemployed, criminals etc etc. sure these people need goverment help but not at the workin mans expense . next time u drive by your local council estate have a look how many sat dishes are up <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/angry.gif" alt="" /> i cant afford sky and im on a decent packet ware do they get the dosh from .u asked where all the money woz spent well a report this morning says that the csa is losin more than it takes in we all know why too much admin and pen pushing and not enuff sortin out wot actually needs to be done and the csa reflects all govt departments the amount goin out on social spending is chronic

 

id recommend anybody under the age of 50 not to bovver saving but to live life fast, spend all their cash and go out with a coronary bcoz the way fings are goin it aint worth tryin to build up a pension