Government on pensions

[madein1978]

Once again the Labour government have done it again, they have screwed up everybodys pensions and then turn around and say "You shouldn't have trusted us". I think this affirms the complete contempt and arrogance that our government has for the people of this country, They seem to forget that the people they have let down time and time again, are the people that put them there, and for some weird reason keep putting them there. I'm due to retire myself in about 45 years time, I find myself really, really concerned about it, because if the governments now can turn us over like that, what are they going to be like come 2044? What do you all think?

[Trojanfarce]

I share your concerns 1978. The utter disdain that this government shows to the working classes defies belief.

I'm a little closer to retirement than you, as is my other half. She came home from work last night to say that her union were organising a strike in the near future. The reason? The government has decided to change how it will calculate employees final salary pensions. At present my other half has a final salary pension based on her basic + shift allowance (as a controller you can't do 9-5). They now want to take away the shift allowance and base the final salary pension on just the basic (which really isn't that great). I think there's also something happening with government contributions to the scheme based on the old system being clawed back too.

The real kicker though is that the civil servants won't be affected by these changes, just the police forces, teachers, nurses, etc.

[Gevs1966]

This pensions "crisis" would have happened no matter what government was in charge so you can't just point the finger at Blair et al. Its simple economics, a bit like supply and demand. The demand these days on pensions is not what it was expected to be when pension schemes started and is growing bigger every year. The income to supply the pensions needed just isn't available or growing at the same rate.

[Dom Tuk]

Lod Hutton of Northern Ireland will henceforth be an ombudsman/chairperson/Chief investigative officer for all Labour led investigations. No more nonsense from these stupid, lay, incompetent people, masquerading as ombudswomen, who can tell the government what they dont want to hear and also speak in some silly regional accent at the same time. Begone with you, you ungarteful imbeciles.

[raysparx]

Call themselves Socialists what a crock of sxxt,they make me puke,only interest for them is self interest,trouble is no other party is any better!!

The only thing anybody can do is look after themselves,we were told years ago to invest in pensions and all would be wonderful,hasn't quite worked has it! I am only a few years from retiring but if I had 45 years to go I would get out of this sxxt hole and make a new life in a country where your efforts are rewarded,as soon as i can sell all i have, i am off into the sunset!

[madein1978]

If I can make enough bunce, that is exactly what I intend to do, get myself out of this stinking rotting mess of a country! I'm just bricking it in case I can't and I'm stuck in Britain!

[raysparx]

Go for it madein, we are only here once,my sister has just come back from spending 3 months in Australia and she said house prices are about half what we pay,and they are crying out for certain workers,couldn't tell you what sort but that country is only one of them out there in the big wide world, Good luck whatever you decide, Ray

[marshman]

The pension crisis,like many others has been created by this government and no other,remember they have been in power for nearly 12yrs,more than enough time to sort any problems that may have been left over from the Tories.
With a chancelor who insists on "stealing"money from the pension funds,what do you expect.
I too have to say that were I a young man I would be off.

[madein1978]

Sorry to have to correct you there, I know it seems longer, but Labour have been in charge for 9 years in May, But I hear what you are saying, and its so true! Glad to hear that someone else thinks that Gordon Brown has made a nause up of the economy, because he has.

[clairelb]

Trojanfarce - sorry to say that the average civil servant probably will be affected by the new rules. Any new civil sevant has to go into the new scheme, which will rule out final salary schemes. For all the unions calling a strike, as ever, I very much feel it will make any difference and this new rule will eventually be imposed upon all civil servants. The new scheme likely to come into force is a career average salary pension - which doesn't bode well for part-time workers (ie women - majority of administrative level/lower management civil servants). Of course, if you're a senior civil servant, it's a completely different matter...

[hal]

And the Tories were not arrogant (poll tax), they managed the economy perfectlyBlack Wednesday), had a great deal of respect for working class people(mining communities), were not mired in sleaze (where do I begin).......

[madein1978]

The 1984/85 miners strike was symptomatic of what happens when unions get tangled up with politicians, sure the tories, especially baggie Thatcher, stirred it a bit, but if you are in a mood for remembering political disasters of the past, how about the winter of discontent in 1978/79, that was a true **** up and it was Labours fault! The Tories are far from lily white, but they did less to screw this country up during their time in office than Labour has achieved now, this country is in such a sh*t state, Keir Hardie must be turning in his grave!

[hal]

Lower unemployment, lower interest rates, huge increases in NHS funding and in education funding, fewer children and OAPs in poverty,more young people in higher education. Yes, they really have screwed the country up.

[madein1978]

If you want believe all the lies and spin that Labour feeds you, why you right on ahead! Where are these hugely wealthy OAPs with these really generous state pensions? Don't say pension credits, half of them are being forced to pay them back! More in higher education, true, but when they graduate, they will have debts of up to �30,000 all courtesy of wonderful new labour, low interest rates, mmm, fits nicely with the people up to the eyes in debt! The NHS, oh yes, really got to work on that haven't they, minging dirty MRSA ridden wards, foreign surgeons who screw up operations, not giving people medication that they need without a fight, NHS trusts that have to close wards because they have insufficient funds to run them, need I go on? Labour are so good for Britain, aren't they!