An End To Pensions

[jake-the-peg]

As benefits are being hit hard isn't it time to question the pension?

Here I am paying large amounts of money to provide for my retirement whilst others are not making provision and intending to throw themselves on the mercy of state provision and the public purse.

Indeed it's been suggested retired people should be made to work for their pension.

Is it time the pension became a safety net and not a right - any more than Housing Benefit or the dole?

[mikey4444]

Jake...your post is extraordinary !

First of all, I and almost certainly you as well, have paid for the State Pension that will be coming our way, by our National Insurance Contributions. So I am not sure why you think we should be "made to work for our pension !

There are millions of OAPs in Britain who worked all their lives and are now living in poverty, not being able to turn their heating on the Winter because they can't afford the huge gas bills that they are getting from the privatised utility companies.

What are you suggesting ? That all old people should be euthanized when they get to the national retirement age ?

Old age pensions were introduced in 1908 by a Liberal government in order to at least provide some income in retirement. This was closely followed by the National Insurance Act of 1911, again by the Liberals.

[mikey4444]

jno...why did you have to make a racist comment in your contribution to this discussion.

Let me remind you ....."(and it seems to be mostly immigrants who keep the population growing)

What nonsense ! Not even the BNP would try to say that only immigrants are having kids these days. Your comment was offensive and stupid.

[jno]

I didn't mention race, mikey. Nor was I criticising anyone; I'm not bothered by who has children or doesn't. It was just a factual observation, but I can't find any statistics to demonstrate it, so I could be wrong.

[woofgang]

I can remember having it explained to me that that was the basis on which the pension scheme was viable (JNO's) comment....essentially it is a ponzi but a legal one

[mikey4444]

jno..why would you need statistics to prove this nonsense ?

Immigrants make up a small proportion of people in Britain today, so how on earth can they be "mostly the cause of keeping the population growing" Surely plain mathematics would show that you can't possibly be right. It isn't "factual", its just good old fashioned prejudice.

And its nothing whatsoever to do with the original post by Jake.

[Gromit]

Two thirds of new borns in London are born to foreign born mothers.

In the rest of the country, one in every four is born to an overseas born mother.

So it is fair to say immigrants are contributing above their weigh to the population (and future tax payers). It is not a racist comment.

[jno]

that was my understanding, Gromit, but as I said, when I looked I couldn't find statistics verifying it.

In fact, I've found this, which seems to bear me out

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2026788/UK-population-grows-twice-EU-average-Migrant-baby-boom-fuels-400-000-rise-year.html

Regrettably it is a Mail report so may need to be approached with caution. Unless I've missed something, however, the factual basis seems sound.

[jno]

oh, and just to clarify, mikey, I wasn't meaning to suggest that most babies are born to immigrants, only that the number of them is statistically disproportionate. The question arising is: what sort of a mess would the pension system be in if they were not doing so?

[askyourgran]

Jake I have worked long and hard for my pension, paying into the pension scheme and paying my National Insurance stamp, being taxed on my wage and I'm still taxed on the pension I draw. I would not, under any consideration start work again. Nor will my 75 year old husband who also worked 40 years for his pension. Who suggested retired people should be MADE to work for their pension. It is not a safety net, it is my right bought and paid for. 'There I was paying large amounts of money etc', there will always be some lazy barstewards who will get out of work and also some people who are not able to work again because of disablity and illnesses. And those who know how to work the system.

[whiskeryron]

// What are you suggesting ? That all old people should be euthanized when they get to the national retirement age ? //

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[EDDIE51]

I am 62 , it now looks like I will miss the new 'enhanced state pension' by being 3 weeks too young. I was intending to defer my state pension for a year so as to get the new rate but it looks like that is not allowed .

[paganman]

The pension is not a benefit, it is a legal entitlement. The national insurance even runs at a surplus http://www.gad.gov.uk/Documents/Social%20Security/GAD_report_280111.pdf#search=";national insurance fund surplus" The government would love to call it a benefit so that they can tinker with the amount. The state pension is contributory and should stay that way so that those who work can be better off than those who don't