But not pensions
As AT says most pensioners are not wealthy and goodness only knows how anyone pays their council tax on a state pension.I don’t want to see old people in poverty .My grandmother lived her life in poverty married to a disabled miner when she got her state pension she thought she was rich .
The problem as I se it is like this. At their age they have no idea what it’s like to live on a permenately fixed income that will only see a small change every April.
I don’t think they want us dead and nor do I think they resent us, they simply just do not understand what we have to contend with as the years diminish us; until they do, it is up to use to educate them as to what it’s like to try and live on our pensions.
But you don’t believe in the Welfare State do you, can’t have it both ways
Here’s plan for you Socialism haters ….
We do away with state pensions from now.
The amount everyone has paid in already is calculate and multiplied by the inflation rate over the years
The amount of pension and NHS care you have received is deducted from that pot
And what is left is given to you us a lump sum, as the total you can receive from the state for your retirement
Obviously, a lot of you will already have had more out than you paid in and will have to go back to work to pay it back and survive!
But hey, that’s capitalism for you!
And it will mean everyone gets back what they put in, everyone’s all square, you’ve got rid of the Welfare State and socialism you hate and it’s every man for himself?
And hey, that’s capitalism for you!
Seems fair, I reckon the youngsters would go for it, what about you?
Because the truth is our long living Boomer generation will take far more out of the Welfare State than they paid in and are parasitical on the working young now
So I know why some working people resent the pensioners getting 10% increase when they are getting pay cuts, or piddling increases
But some pensions have large private pensions, interest in savings and valuable properties, yet they are still getting the increase
And a lot of the working poor would love to be able to count on a fixed income with an increase every April, a lot of them don’t have that sort of security
I think a lot of pensioners don’t understand what it’s like to try to live on the low income of the working poor
As Todger says, at least the younger ones can get jobs, or even second jobs, I know I did.
But our age can’t increase our income easily - not if it’s legal anyway.
I think a lot of people will be in trouble this winter, the pensioners AND the ‘working poor’ as you call them. It’s not a simple case of one group deserves and one doesn’t.
Because they all paid their obligatory NI contributions and as such qualify for and are entitled to the state pension. Private arrangements are just that, private and not related to their NI contributions. All retirement income is taxed either via PAYE or like me, via returns that I’m responsible for in their accuracy.
Yes, so if we didn’t give all pensioners the 10% increase but instead lowered the threshold at which they could claim pension credit we could target the money at the poorest old people instead of giving it to those who are doing OK without it