Public Sector Pensions...

MyLastFiver

new_home_owner wrote: »

where all in the same boat we will lose our child benefit and tax credit, but why should we fund your retirement more than what you do yourself??

If i was making a 1 pound contribution to my own retirement and you was paying three times that amount to mine aswell im sure you would have something to say.

You can blame the bankers, but the last government created loads of public sector jobs, teaching assistants and community officers that can not even arrest anyone, what was the point of this?

Our frontline service people shouldnt be affected with a pay freezes, but the last government created loads of public sector
jobs that have no power and dont really seem to be doing anything.

All fair points, but be careful not to dismiss the work of teaching assistants, who add significantly to the quality of childrens' education. Honestly - I work with them every day and they do. As for CSOs, the only ones I have ever met have been complete jobsworth d!cks, but if you were a woman walking home alone at night I expect you would be glad to see them on the streets. Don't get me wrong - I agree there is waste in the public sector, but I don't think the examples you have chosen particularly illustrate it.

As for the pensions issue, it is fair to say that a final-salary pension is compensation for the earning power public servants forgo. No-one who goes into teaching will ever get the chance to be rich.

My family can afford to take the hits, and I wouldn't mind being a bit poorer if the savings were going to help the less well-off. Unfortunately, the savings are going to pay off the debts the country incurred bailing out the banking sector.

MyLastFiver

treliac wrote: »

In which case, middle England will be crucified. I thought the coalition was committed to avoiding such a scenario.

I suppose I fit into the "Middle England" bracket. As I say, I wouldn't mind being poorer if the money was going to help people who are really hard up.

All the loss of income will mean to my family is that I will have to work a couple of years longer, as I have less every month now to invest. I can live with that. We'll also cut back on luxuries, which will harm the businesses we would have used.

MyLastFiver

dansylvester wrote: »

Fair point, at the moment, paying circa £100 a month out of my wage is alot, when saving for house and a wedding at the same time...

Don't give up your pension - you'll regret it!

People spend ridiculous amounts on weddings but you don't need to. Basically it's just "get hitched and give everyone a good knees-up". You don't need the table decorations to match the bridesmaids' dresses. No-one cares about that stuff.

treliac

MyLastFiver wrote: »

I suppose I fit into the "Middle England" bracket. As I say, I wouldn't mind being poorer if the money was going to help people who are really hard up.

All the loss of income will mean to my family is that I will have to work a couple of years longer, as I have less every month now to invest. I can live with that. We'll also cut back on luxuries, which will harm the businesses we would have used.

I think it strikes harder than that though. Middle income earners are always clobbered. Never rich and always taking the flak for whatever ills have to be addressed. They/you/we're the easy target!

MyLastFiver

treliac wrote: »

I think it strikes harder than that though. Middle income earners are always clobbered. Never rich and always taking the flak for whatever ills have to be addressed. They/you/we're the easy target!

Fair enough, but even with the cuts, middle-income earners like me (you?) will still have more comfortable lives than most.

The cuts in services and benefits will hit the poor the hardest.

treliac

MyLastFiver wrote: »

Fair enough, but even with the cuts, middle-income earners like me (you?) will still have more comfortable lives than most.

The cuts in services and benefits will hit the poor the hardest.

I agree in part but there's a big and long discussion area here. We've been round it many times on the board....

We'll just have to wait and see what happens methinks. :think:

new_home_owner_3

MyLastFiver wrote: »

Don't give up your pension - you'll regret it!

People spend ridiculous amounts on weddings but you don't need to. Basically it's just "get hitched and give everyone a good knees-up". You don't need the table decorations to match the bridesmaids' dresses. No-one cares about that stuff.

good advice

dansylvester

Originally Posted by MyLastFiver
Don't give up your pension - you'll regret it!

People spend ridiculous amounts on weddings but you don't need to. Basically it's just "get hitched and give everyone a good knees-up". You don't need the table decorations to match the bridesmaids' dresses. No-one cares about that stuff.



Thanks for advice - I wouldnt leave the pension scheme, simply because I doubt very much it would still exist in its current form in 5-10 years time to go back into... Try telling 'er indoors' that the fancy table decorations and matching handcrafted invites dont matter!

Muhasib

MyLastFiver wrote: »

All fair points, but be careful not to dismiss the work of teaching assistants, who add significantly to the quality of childrens' education. Honestly - I work with them every day and they do. As for CSOs, the only ones I have ever met have been complete jobsworth d!cks, but if you were a woman walking home alone at night I expect you would be glad to see them on the streets. Don't get me wrong - I agree there is waste in the public sector, but I don't think the examples you have chosen particularly illustrate it.

As for the pensions issue, it is fair to say that a final-salary pension is compensation for the earning power public servants forgo. No-one who goes into teaching will ever get the chance to be rich.

My family can afford to take the hits, and I wouldn't mind being a bit poorer if the savings were going to help the less well-off. Unfortunately, the savings are going to pay off the debts the country incurred bailing out the banking sector.

There are well paid jobs in teaching that can make you rich - Ofsted Inspectors, Headmasters, Directors of Education to name some; I know quite a few doing very well indeed - granted for those of us still in the classroom its not the same.

dori2o

IF, we are forced to pay more for our pension from our monthly salary then there should be the chance to opt out. The CS pension is compulsary and by that basis I should decide what contribution is paid into it.