Heart breaking

Pobby

And it`s made all the worse when seen against a background of Fred the Shred, !!!!!! paid for by the tax payers. This sleazy lot should hand their head in shame. To think I once was a party member!!!!
http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/4293210.Struggling_Dorset_OAPs_are_skipping_meals/

ad9898_3

And to think, a lot of these pensioners have been sacrificed to bail out the 'I want my plasma and 4x4 now' brigade, by slashing IR's to the bone. It is shameful in the extreme.

CLAPTON

Nevertheles, pensioners are probably better off than ever before (pension credit, housing benefit, council tax benefit)

I wonder how much the chief exec of Age Concern gets paid; maybe less than fred the shread but maybe a little more than pension creidt.

MissMoneypenny

ad9898 wrote: »

And to think, a lot of these pensioners have been sacrificed to bail out the 'I want my plasma and 4x4 now' brigade, by slashing IR's to the bone. It is shameful in the extreme.

They would have worked hard to look after their own children too. In their day, if you had children, then you worked to provide for them. No going to the benefits office and claiming child/working tax credits.

MissMoneypenny

CLAPTON wrote: »

Nevertheles, pensioners are probably better off than ever before (pension credit, housing benefit, council tax benefit)

Pensioners come from an era where they had a lot of pride in providing for themselves and their family. Most will see it as shameful to ask for what they will regard as handouts.

Reaper

I'm afraid this is because pensioners "live off the interest" from their savings.

They think they are leaving the capital intact but it's an illusion which I have tried and failed to explain on the Savings board, and Martin tried in his newsletter too.

Pensioners who spend all the interest when inflation is high are eating into the capital without realising it. If that is ok to do when inflaton is high then its ok to dip into the capital when inflation is low/zero.

Better not to take all the interest out when inflation is high and not to be afraid of dipping into the capital when inflation is low/zero.

Skipping meals and turning off the heating is not the answer.

Pobby

MissMoneypenny wrote: »

Pensioners come from an era where they had a lot of pride in providing for themselves and their family. Most will see it as shameful to ask for what they will regard as handouts.

The point is that it shouldn`t be represented as a hand out. Many of these folk have paid in for 45 years into a system that refuses to value them. This bunch of liars promised an end to boom and bust, not let the housing market get out of control and improve the pensioners lot.

So what next, ahhh slimy Dave and his bunch of cowboys. Oh yes, Thatch was the one that severed the link between pensions and average earnings.

MissMoneypenny

Pobby wrote: »

The point is that it shouldn`t be represented as a hand out. Many of these folk have paid in for 45 years into a system that refuses to value them. This bunch of liars promised an end to boom and bust, not let the housing market get out of control and improve the pensioners lot.

They have to fill in forms to claim. It would be better if they were given a decent state pension, instead of having to claim benefits, as that is shameful for those that have always provided for themselves. Many of those that had a private pension, have also seen that stolen from by this, worse than useless, government.

As you have said, many have paid into the systems for years and should be rewarded for that, not made to fill in forms to claim from welfare. I wonder how many refuse to claim because of their pride?

MissMoneypenny

Pobby wrote: »

Oh yes, Thatch was the one that severed the link between pensions and average earnings.

I was wondering how long it would be before someone on here blamed Thatcher. You do realise that it has been 19 years since she was leader, don't you? This Labour government have had over a decade to correct what some Labour voters think was wrong, but they haven't done it. Instead, they have had their snouts in the trough .......and some people still voted for them and will no doubt still vote for them.

Pobby

MissMoneypenny wrote: »

I was wondering how long it would be before someone on here blamed Thatcher. You do realise that it has been 19 years since she was leader, don't you? This Labour government have had over a decade to correct what some Labour voters think was wrong, but they haven't done it. Instead, they have had their snouts in the trough .......and some people still voted for them and will no doubt still vote for them.

But so totally agree. My point is none of the major parties care.

Masomnia

CLAPTON wrote: »

Nevertheles, pensioners are probably better off than ever before (pension credit, housing benefit, council tax benefit)

I think that's true, especially when you factor in the higher than inflation rise in the state pension this year, plus the winter fuel allowance, free bus travel, free TV licences for over 75s.

It's all well and good blaming low interest rates providing low income, but people with savings large enough to earn significant interest are not the ones we should be worried about. As a society we do not do enough for our elderly, it's a sad trend that has seen so many old people put in homes and forgotten about by their children. I too would love to see an increase in the state pension but I don't think young people today are willing to pay extra tax to fund it