RPI to CPI Early Day Motion 1032

Squire_Fulwood

fwor wrote: »

No - they weren't. I'd been keeping a track (not accurately, but just visiting the epetitions site a couple of times a day) and it really took off today - so perhaps it was you!

That would be a nice Christmas present and maybe it explains why the numbers have been slow. People are not as aware as we assume.

The PS pension has been used as a PR exercise but all the people against should realise that the state pension is increased by the amount published in the same pensions order.

ExBT_Bob

Squire_Fulwood wrote: »

It is odd that the number of people whose pension will be affected far exceeds the number of people who have signed the petition. I don't know the reason for this but there could be people who don't care about their pension, don't understand inflation, have never heard of the petition and so on.

To try to help I sent a message to someone in BT this morning. They have a circulation list for a large group of people who used to work together. The email explained that we were approaching 100,000 and I asked that it be circulated in case anyone had not signed.

I have been watching the numbers clock up all day. I am not saying I made a difference but it felt good.

Were the numbers going up this fast before today because I have not been keeping track.

Well every little helps! We've all helped to promote this e-petition across as many contacts as possible. The recent failure to win the judicial review is likely to have sparked much anger and may well have sparked off a flurry of concerned pensioners (Public/Private and State) to sign up. It's going up by 2k a day now. The more the merrier

JohnB47

Excellent news. Well done everyone.

The change to CPI is a sneaky underhand move that is either immediately effecting almost everyone in this country, or eventually will do (apart from polititians that is, who still benefit from increases tied to RPI).

Anything that can be done to help people wake up to this is good thing.

Pugliese

I do agree that moving from RPI to CPI is unfair and well done for getting over 100k signatures, but part of me wonders whether the country can continue to afford a link to RPI. Going forward, things are going to be tough enough for our children and grandchildren, so taking this course of action will just make it worse for them all.

Haybarn

Hello ExBt Bob and fellow campaigners

I'm sure that what you have done Bob has contributed to the petition. The main problem is that few understand the damage to their pensions, I recently took part in the strike and talking to Nurses etc. they were not aware of the sneak change. We need somehow to get the link on the many ex armed services sites , BA and other private pensioner sites etc that are all affected so they can register their protest. The unions should be promoting the petition and some like Unite did mention it on their email to us members but it was hidden in the depths of the blurb. Why the CWU are not promoting it beats me. With BT workers and Postal workers affected the campaign should be strong. The Pension Pirates announce that the rise for old age pensions is to be the highest for years, what they and the media don't say is that the high rise is due to high inflation and the pensioners would have received more under the RPI link. We all must keep up the campaign for what we paid for in good faith that has been robbed from us just because the Pension Pirates can.

MEY_3

Haybarn wrote: »

Hello ExBt Bob and fellow campaigners

Why the CWU are not promoting it beats me. With BT workers and Postal workers affected the campaign should be strong.

Maybe it is because the CWU were well aware that members in Section B of the scheme weren't actually linked to RPI even though they didn't pass that information on to those affected. My understanding is later amendments to the scheme clearly make reference to RPI. Why would that be, if not to clarify the issue?

Squire_Fulwood

I know that I have mentioned this above but it bears repeating. The numbers don't quite add up which is puzzling since anyone who is or is going to be an OAP should be signing the petition because it affects them too.

On the topic of Public Sector versus Private Sector my view is that they should be fairer. Instead of a race to the bottom lets have a race to the top. What could be done to improve the lot of the people providing themselves with a private pension?

MEY_3

Pugliese wrote: »

I do agree that moving from RPI to CPI is unfair and well done for getting over 100k signatures, but part of me wonders whether the country can continue to afford a link to RPI. Going forward, things are going to be tough enough for our children and grandchildren, so taking this course of action will just make it worse for them all.

The whole financial landscape is going to be different for succeeding generations but I am not sure why you think that honouring RPI pensions linking is so detrimental? Presumably you think even honouring CPI is using the same logic. Putting (entitled) cash into pensioners pockets means they may still be able to afford a retirement above the "poverty" line, thus in spending helping the youngsters earn. Also, without decent pensions, it will just mean more people will have to be bailed out with top ups from taxes in their old age, so those youngsters will pay somehow anyway, unless the nation is so poor there is no government provision for the elderly of course.

fwor

Pugliese wrote: »

part of me wonders whether the country can continue to afford a link to RPI

This seems to be a common feeling, Pugliese, but do you realise what you are saying?

It looks like you think you are saying:

"Can we afford to pay more and more, making pensioners richer and richer every year?"

when what you are actually saying is:

"Can we afford to pay pensioners just enough for their pensions to stand still?"

RPI represents the latter, not the former.

CPI, on the other hand, puts in place a steady, year-on-year erosion of pensions, and this erosion will now happen every year until we succeed in getting the change reversed, or a decision is made to use an appropriate alternative to RPI.

Interested_Taxpayer

Squire_Fulwood wrote: »

I know that I have mentioned this above but it bears repeating. The numbers don't quite add up which is puzzling since anyone who is or is going to be an OAP should be signing the petition because it affects them too.

On the topic of Public Sector versus Private Sector my view is that they should be fairer. Instead of a race to the bottom lets have a race to the top. What could be done to improve the lot of the people providing themselves with a private pension?

Yes and the Unions have put together an excellent pamphlet on fair pensions for all which is what we want.
Just take a look.

Fair pensions for all pamphlet

Of course it's not just the Public, Private Sector and OAP RPI to CPI pension robbery that needs to be reversed but in addition, righting the wrong of having a two standard pension system i.e. those who are hard wired to the RPI and those of us who are not.