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Ending of age allowance for pensioners in budget

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  • Roger1 wrote: »
    Can anybody put their hands on their heart and say that the railways have improved since privatisation? That would be a very difficult claim, though here again,


    Yes they can ! the railways have improved enormously.

    Much of the rolling stock has been replaced since privatisation.
    Passenger numbers have increased 84% since privatisation - if the railways had not improved do you really think that this would have happened ?
    When Passenger Focus looked at frequency of UK trains versus those in seven other European countries, it found Britain had the most frequent services in the short and longer distance bands (we were third in the medium band).
    The Government’s own figures show public funding (of these so-called privatised railways !) has ballooned from £2.3bn in 1993-4 to £5.2bn in 2008-9 (and both figures are at 2008-9 prices, too).
    Despite the impression that the tabloid press likes to give, the railways are a lot safer since privatisation.

    If you wish to criticise something please do, but use some facts - not just make a sweeping unsupported generalisations.
  • Dunroamin
    Dunroamin Posts: 16,908 Forumite
    joyce341 wrote: »
    I am still waiting for an answer to this question from my MP.
    Pension £6000 a year,tax limit say £10,000 so can earn £4000 before paying Income tax.
    recieve also houseing benefit of approximately £6000 a year,not included for income tax.
    Universal credit,housing benefit renamed and payed with pension credit,so Pension £6000 a year,pension credit £6000 a year,equals £12,000 a year,tax threshold £10,000 so will tax dedutions be made on the extra £2000,if so a lot of pensioners income will go down,I hope i,m wrong but cant see how else they can do it,the fact that Housing benefit is not taxed has been one reason why people have been worse of working for years.

    With a pension of £6,000 you'll only receive £25/£30 of pension credit a week, I don't know where you get the idea that you'll get an additional 6 grand!
  • Dunroamin
    Dunroamin Posts: 16,908 Forumite
    Yes they can ! the railways have improved enormously.

    Much of the rolling stock has been replaced since privatisation.
    Passenger numbers have increased 84% since privatisation - if the railways had not improved do you really think that this would have happened ?
    When Passenger Focus looked at frequency of UK trains versus those in seven other European countries, it found Britain had the most frequent services in the short and longer distance bands (we were third in the medium band).
    The Government’s own figures show public funding (of these so-called privatised railways !) has ballooned from £2.3bn in 1993-4 to £5.2bn in 2008-9 (and both figures are at 2008-9 prices, too).
    Despite the impression that the tabloid press likes to give, the railways are a lot safer since privatisation.


    If you wish to criticise something please do, but use some facts - not just make a sweeping unsupported generalisations.

    That explains why trains are so appallingly overcrowded, nothing else!
  • Dunroamin
    Dunroamin Posts: 16,908 Forumite
    She thinks it will come from the renamed housing benefit, which is to be paid direct to the claimant and not to the landlord.

    I'm confused, she said £6k pension credit.
  • Biggles
    Biggles Posts: 8,209 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Much of the rolling stock has been replaced since privatisation.
    I should hope so, the stock was already old 20 years ago!
    When Passenger Focus looked at frequency of UK trains versus those in seven other European countries, it found Britain had the most frequent services in the short and longer distance bands (we were third in the medium band).
    But frequency is the only category we do well in - we are the worst in Europe for affordability, efficiency and speed according to Just Economics.

    I would love to use the railways, but you couldn't believe the last few governments are serious about global warming if they price us all off onto the roads.
  • Thrugelmir
    Thrugelmir Posts: 89,546 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Roger1 wrote: »
    Can anybody put their hands on their heart and say that the railways have improved since privatisation?

    Yes........

    I remember the walkouts well. The disruption caused.

    Even now strikes are timed for maximum inconvenience. That's because they have to give notice. In the old days a crew simply didn't turn up.

    Won't be sad to see the back of Bob Crowe either.
  • Roger1
    Roger1 Posts: 1,603 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    If you wish to criticise something please do, but use some facts - not just make a sweeping unsupported generalisations.
    Biggles wrote: »
    I should hope so, the stock was already old 20 years ago!

    But frequency is the only category we do well in - we are the worst in Europe for affordability, efficiency and speed according to Just Economics..
    ;) Thanks, Biggles.

    My 'sweeping unsupported generalisations' as ypkb describes them were an attempt to answer an earlier post of his/hers covering several topics. If he/she has the time, I'd be happy to debate specifics. The discussion might bore other MSEers, though.

    Just for info, I have lived and worked in several European countries and have been an active user of railway systems in Germany and Switzerland in particular as well as in France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Austria. Some of these countries are privatising state-run systems and others have a mixed private/public arrangement - e.g. Swiss private railways linked to the state system with combined ticketing.

    It's safe to say that the countries whose railway systems I have used regard rail as a public service and have invested in them over the years, something missing from the UK, and not as help to balance the national budget.

    Anyway, this is getting a long way from the original topic.

    We are being softened up for changes in benefits for the elderly with even the Liberal Democrats to their shame calling for such benefits to be withdrawn from 'richer' pensioners. The so-called deputy prime minister even refers to millionaire pensioners claiming benefits as justification for his ill-thought out views!

    Apparently there are 250,000 pensioners who pay 40% tax on part of their income compared with 1.25 million who pay 20% or 0%. It would be shameful if the baby were thrown out with the bathwater. Not to worry. The current DPM will be out of a job within two years, on his way to earning a crust in Brussels.
  • zygurat789
    zygurat789 Posts: 4,263 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    Roger1 wrote: »
    ;) .


    Apparently there are 250,000 pensioners who pay 40% tax on part of their income compared with 1.25 million who pay 20% or 0%. It would be shameful if the baby were thrown out with the bathwater. Not to worry. The current DPM will be out of a job within two years, on his way to earning a crust in Brussels.


    According to Google there are 12,000,000 pensioners, so, according to your figures there are 10,500,000 pensioners paying 45% tax.

    Maybe IDS has a point!
    The only thing that is constant is change.
  • zygurat789
    zygurat789 Posts: 4,263 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    He has a point in that not every pensioner falls into the 'poverty' stereotype the media are so fond of, but it is equally false to imply that all pensioners are millionaires.

    .

    The point was that the figures quoted above look to be very wrong.
    He only has a point if 10,500,000 pensioners have an income greater than £150,000 pa
    The only thing that is constant is change.
  • pollypenny
    pollypenny Posts: 29,432 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Well said, MC.

    We are the same, fine now. However, just one of us would find it difficult to manage. The C tax and heating mainly.

    Of course, I will get half of OH's occupational pension. He will only get 2% up to 1987' then half afterwards. This is equal opportunities Teacher & Police pension style.
    Member #14 of SKI-ers club

    Words, words, they're all we have to go by!.

    (Pity they are mangled by this autocorrect!)
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