State Pension Increases

[Vic]

Are you on a fucking wind up?

You're telling me you live on £6,000 a year to pay all your bills and food with no government help or savings topping that up?? You'd just barely exist and that would leave nothing for anything but existing.

Tesco £12 meal deal. Two ranch steaks, veg and dessert and a bottle of red. Does for two days, plus cereal for breakfast. Leaves £60 a week. Cineworld pass £5/week. Season ticket £10. Yeah, I could live on that...

Now council tax and a car...

 

[SkyBlueFlux]

I think it is a fact that, as a cohort, the current pension generation is the wealthiest in history but I think framing in terms of generations is unhelpful and somewhat devisive.

The truth is, as has been highlighted, there are inequalities among all generations. We should as a society seek to support those who are struggling across all age groups. I don’t think anybody would disagree with that premise.

That said, I don’t think it’s particularly a mystery why some younger people get resentful when the working age population are battered with real terms wage cuts for decades, while pensioners are upset that one year they might not get a triple lock 8%+ increase. Though I also understand that those pensioners were promised triple lock and regardless of the economics will feel aggrieved at that being taken away as many pensioners struggle every bit as much as younger folk.

I’m always wary about ‘race to the bottom’ politics. We should all demand more and better, our government (if they were competent) could be doing a much better job at targeting funding appropriately instead of wasting what little funding they provide on culture wars bollocks and helping their mates trouser as much as possible, and so I choose to direct my ire at them.

 

[bluethrunthru]

Listening to LBC now and Nick Ferrari - he is NOT a Tory he is always keen to point out lol - they are going down the sinister road of referring to retired people as economically inactive. Errr thats the definition of being retired isn't it? They are going after pensioners now? The lengths they will go to in order to avoid taxing the wealth of the wealthy is staggering. they really have lost the plot.

 

[Ifwecouldjust.......]

You do realise that the current generation of pensioners are the wealthiest age group in society and the wealthiest pensioners to have ever existed?

Nothing to do with the state pension though (which is currently the lowest in Europe) and everything to do with the ability to build a private pension pot and decent annuity rates.

 

[M18CTID]

Jesus are people really so feckless, reckless and financially incompetent that they can't even comprehend a perfectly achievable lifestyle on £6k a year?

Put the breakdown up and show us all how you can live on £6000 a year. Note that simply existing isn't living. Go on...

 

[Eccles Blue]

We need a new covid strain to take more of these old fuckers out.

Stupid comment, which I hope was in jest.

Thank you @normskih. I also hope @Scottyboi was joking but whether he was or wasn't I am now (& I am not joking) crying because I never ever felt that a fellow Blue or actually a fellow human being would wish an old age pensioner dead. I am struggling health wise, I have just had to spend what little savings I had on house renovations to be able to stay in my own home. My family want to help me but I didn't bring them up to help me, I am supposed to help them. (I've been through all the discussions and cried for hours so don't go there please.)

I will say no more. There is a thread on mental health and people say that men won't speak out for help. It isn't only men. :-( :-)

 

[hammocity]

I don't need to you cretin and you know nothing about my intelligence or ability, which I'd put good money on being superior to your own.

I have no desire or patience to do any research or counter the reprehensible points you've made about pensioners. You're an annoying wum who'll carry on trotting out your rhetoric and arguing for the sake of arguing. You're not worth the time, effort or raised blood pressure. I do hope somebody else here does though.

Oh and just so there is absolutely no doubt. You're still a ****. Sorry mods.

I know you’re a similar generation to me Paul and did your stint in the Armed Forces. What some of later generations don’t know is if we couldn’t afford anything it just wasn’t an option.

I spent my first few years in a house with no bathroom, despite my parents both working we had little money. We took holidays to Cornwall (on a bus) and Blackpool, never ever went abroad and I was about 19 the first time I dined in a restaurant.

Today is the funeral of my last remaining Uncle, he was 97, our generation are not heroes but deserve a life on a pension of more than 6k pa, on that revenue you would live a better life in Prison!

 

[hammocity]

Thank you @normskih. I also hope @Scottyboi was joking but whether he was or wasn't I am now (& I am not joking) crying because I never ever felt that a fellow Blue or actually a fellow human being would wish an old age pensioner dead. I am struggling health wise, I have just had to spend what little savings I had on house renovations to be able to stay in my own home. My family want to help me but I didn't bring them up to help me, I am supposed to help them. (I've been through all the discussions and cried for hours so don't go there please.)

I will say no more. There is a thread on mental health and people say that men won't speak out for help. It isn't only men. :-( :-)

That’s brilliant Mrs EB, it’s a terrible disease, I’ve my fingers crossed for you and you have my full empathy.

 

[I'm With Stupid]

That said, I don’t think it’s particularly a mystery why some younger people get resentful when the working age population are battered with real terms wage cuts for decades, while pensioners are upset that one year they might not get a triple lock 8%+ increase. Though I also understand that those pensioners were promised triple lock and regardless of the economics will feel aggrieved at that being taken away as many pensioners struggle every bit as much as younger folk.

But people are acting like they were promised a triple lock their entire life. It's a 12 year old policy ffs. And they wouldn't be the first group that have been promised something by the Tories only to have them turn around and slap them in the face.

Ultimately, it's very difficult to claim that huge pay rises in the public sector will cause massive inflation and are unaffordable while at the same time giving pensioners the pay increases you've argued so vehemently in every other sector (especially when the only reason public sector workers are arguing for it is to compensate for years of below-inflation pay rises, while pensions have always kept up with inflation).

Ultimately, this has all been caused by the Tories ruining the economy to the point that they can't afford to pay anyone what they should expect. It continues to amaze me how they position themselves as the party that's good on the economy.

 

[Ifwecouldjust.......]

Exactly.
Already one of the worst State Pensions in Europe and the Gov want to penalise pensioners again. They should look internally first at all the money they spunk being stupid and inept.

Exactly.
The worst State Pensions in Europe and the Gov want to penalise pensioners again. They should look internally first at all the money they spunk being stupid and inept.

Corrected for you....