MSE Poll: Should the state pension triple-lock guarantee end?
Comments
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Pensioners accommodation costs are by and large a lot cheaper. Most own their homes outright.Why no discussion on the fact that 'price inflation' for pensioners is a lot more than for younger people?
Pensioners expenses fall into the utilities and energy categories and they do not get the offset of cheaper technology items.0 -
This is the most inefficient government in British history.
In 2015, More than half of households in Britain receive more in benefits and benefits-in-kind than they pay in taxes.
There are still an abundance of people getting money from the government that they don't deserve and the government needs to cut the pork out of the welfare budget to find more savings instead of beating the war drums to raise taxes yet again on the working overtaxed class.
Not a Daily Mail reader are you? Watched all the biased shows on TV, think that all people on benefits are like this?
Please be aware that thousands have died after having their benefits unfairly stopped - many of these people were suffering from mental health problems and simply didn't know where to turn for help and committed suicide.
Not that the conservatives or lib dems who voted for these cuts, care at all.
Also we have the media hiding the information on how much tax isn't being paid by the big companies like Amazon who are, of course, tory party cash donors - so the tax loop holes will remain open whilst the cons/lib dems are in power.
The total unemployment bill for 2014 was £3Billion - Starbucks unpaid tax bill for this year was £4Billion - now see where the problem really lies?
People are being misled and we are being turned against one another - this is another deliberate ploy by the elite. Whilst we fight one another, we aren't fighting against them.
Now set your sights on the real demons in life, the government and the big companies who are causing the enormous debt this country is really in.
Corbyn will close the tax loop holes - that's why he's got my vote.0 -
The triple lock should be maintained because the vast majority of us pensioners are living only day to day and struggle to pay all the bills after heating, lighting, rates and water, etc, are paid. We have to use heating all day in the cold weather as we are house bound and not at work using the employers heating! Any money left over goes on food and the occasional cup of coffee out, so what we receive goes straight back into the economy! I worked and paid taxes for 44 years to get a lower pension than is now being paid to people who only have to work 30 years to get the new higher pension, perhaps there should be no triple lock on the new state pension, but maintain it on the old one. The Tory government sold out millions of pensioners on the old state pension when they introduced the new rules - work less for more - and then began a concerted campaign to blame us for their own and the bankers's failings.0
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They should only use the double lock (average earnings and inflation) but extend that mechanism to pension credit so those in most need get some benefit.
Ultimately I would love to see the pension rise so that there is no means testing for seniors but that might be some time off given we now nearly 10 years after the financial crash and progress has been so slow,0 -
Some people want to remove the triple lock because they claim it is to expensive & there are a lot of rich pensioners who don't need the triple lock. The net cost of state pensions is far lower that the stated cost because richer pensioners pay 40% tax which is returned straight to the government in the same way basic rate taxpayers are returning 20% to the Government.0
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jsknight100 wrote: »Some people want to remove the triple lock because they claim it is to expensive & there are a lot of rich pensioners who don't need the triple lock. The net cost of state pensions is far lower that the stated cost because richer pensioners pay 40% tax which is returned straight to the government in the same way basic rate taxpayers are returning 20% to the Government.
The 2.5% clause in the triple lock was intended to ensure that, in most years, the state pension would grow faster than either wages or inflation. The reason for this clause was simple; the old system had failed to ensure that pensions kept pace. Pensions had fallen behind earnings and it was important that they caught up.
When considering whether or not the triple lock should be scrapped, the question is actually quite simple; have pensions now caught up with earnings? If the answer is yes, then the double lock is more than sufficient to ensure they do not fall behind again.
The debate isn't about making pensioners poorer. It's about finding an acceptable value for the state pension and maintaining it. With the double lock, if inflation is higher than the increase in wages then the pension will rise in line with inflation (while the working population effectively becomes poorer). If wages rise faster than inflation, the state pension will rise in line with wages, ensuring that pensioners become better off in line with everyone else. I fail to see that as unfair.
Ultimately, the wrong question is being asked. The important one is; does the state pension now provide an acceptable standard of living? If it does, the triple lock has outlived its purpose. If it doesn't, the triple lock may be needed for a few years yet. But ultimately, it will be scrapped and it should be scrapped. It's a question of when, not if.0 -
Whilst I'm in no position to know exactly what your income is, you imply that you get no extra help whatsoever. There are several benefits which you may be able to claim & if you are not doing so at this time may I suggest that you contact your nearest Citizen's Advice Bureau. Their advice is free & they will complete the paperwork for you. They will even come to your house if you are unable, by ill health, to get to them. I presume that you have a computer or access to 1 as you have posted on this site so please also look at the gov.uk site which lists all benefits which you may be able to claim - that is if your income &/or savings are below the limits quoted. However, if your income is that low, I cannot see why you are not getting Pension Credit, Winter Heating Allowance (£300 I believe for some-one of your age) Council Tax relief, Housing Allowance or Mortgage Relief if you have one & if not, like many pensioners, then you are very lucky as you should have no other major housing costs unlike the working population or worse still, those people who are forced to live on declining benefits, either, like my wife & myself, by health or the lack of available employment caused by government under funding (not everywhere has an abundance of jobs up for grabs) & also have to rely on food banks. The only Triple Lock they get is a downwards one ! I could go on & on but hopefully you will have got the gist. If all else fails rest assured that government will not totally abandon you & at least you will end up with a Double Lock. The Tories wouldn't risk losing the votes of millions of you !0
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It is all well and good having the triple lock but pensioners like myself do not get 2.5% rise as the guaranteed pension credit does not increase by 2.5% so whilst our pension goes up 2.5% we lose some of it off of our guaranteed pension credit.0
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The triple lock is only on the standard part of the pension. Any additional pension we've earned has lower increases, so my total increase isn't 2.5% anyway. I worked full time for a few months over 50 years, and payed 44 years of NIC's, although 39 years was the amount required for full pension. You don't get any extra pension for paying more years. Income tax used to be 33% years ago and mortgage interest was 17%, so we didn't have an easy time of it then.0
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