Preparedness for when

mardatha

Nobody has ever asked the govt what they're doing with the money saved by the cuts. Maybe its time somebody did - and made them prove their answer is the truth.

[Deleted User]

The saying 'Divide and conquer' suddenly has a stark and chilling taste of reality! What will it be next I wonder? People who are left handed? people who have red hair? people who have allergies? people who suffer from chronic diseases? People who don't look right? Maybe people who aren't Aryan enough? Familiar patterning throughout history, not a happy prospect for the future is it?

Karmacat

Frugalsod wrote: »

I actually expect the living standards for the majority to continue to decline because the three mainstream parties all have their snouts in the trough.

I agree.

mardatha wrote: »

Nobody has ever asked the govt what they're doing with the money saved by the cuts. Maybe its time somebody did - and made them prove their answer is the truth.

I love that, mardatha! Same with the money "we" got when our state-owned industries were sold - where did that money go?

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

Personally, I shant vote for one of the two Biggies ever again and will be doing my voting to vote against an issue that concerns me instead and I think there is going to be a LOT of splintering of voting from here on in.

I shan't vote for any of them either - I'd voted for one of the littlies for a long time, but now I'm going to spoil my vote, precisely because the system is broken - spoiling my vote is the only way I can think of in the whole process to say "the system is what's wrong".

Karmacat

DawnW wrote: »

I am 61 Nuatha, and to be honest I am also sceptical as to whether state pensions will be available to people like me who have a modest work one, by the time I reach the age when I would expect to receive it. That age keeps getting pushed back, and I would not be at all surprised if some kind of means test were also introduced over the next few years.

I had to come back onto the thread, because I ended up not quoting this post. I've just turned 60, my state pension has already been delayed twice: the first time, by 4 years 9 months - I actually thought that was fair, if unfortunate for me, because we get it so much earlier than men, and yet mostly live lots longer. The second time, its been delayed by another 15 months, till I turn 66 - this one, I regard as unfair, I'll be honest. The thought that I might not get **anything** _pale_ wow.

GreyQueen

MrsLurcherwalker wrote: »

The saying 'Divide and conquer' suddenly has a stark and chilling taste of reality! What will it be next I wonder? People who are left handed? people who have red hair? people who have allergies? people who suffer from chronic diseases? People who don't look right? Maybe people who aren't Aryan enough? Familiar patterning throughout history, not a happy prospect for the future is it?

:eek: I'm in trouble; fading redhead and with 2 chronic illnesses.......am right-handed, tho; kid bruv is the family southpaw.

The trouble with the present order of things is that much of what passes for commercial activity is flim-flammery and wholly unnecessary to life. If you as Mr or Mrs Small Business Owner want to run a gift shop or tea room or takeaway or a beauty salon or whatever, but are happy to pay your staff tuppence ha'penny for seriously part-time hours, you probably feel pretty smug that it's an employers' market atm.

Then you look at your bottom line and wonder why stuff isn't selling and eventually why your business has gone bust; hey, it's because too many employers are doing the same thing.

I very rarely buy anything new, other than food. And there are plenty of us who are in the same boat, aren't there?

I think that the Labour party is a joke and has been since B.Liar and his co-travellers took over. They don't want to stand up for the rights of working people yet want to take the union's shilling. I speak as a very disgruntled labour voter and union member. I do think there is a vacancy for a party to replace so-called New Labour, the party which the sainted margaret (mimes a spitting session in disgust) described as her greatest achievement, lest we forget.

[Deleted User]

We'll look out for you GQ, it's a fairly daunting thought though that something about anyones' individuality might cause them to be singled out and ostracised from certain bits of society and not allow them to have the same rights as the 'normal' folks. It's the top of a very steep and slippery slope and with the wrong people having power and authority in the right set of organisations we could end up in a world like Aldous Huxleys Brave New one!

boultdj

If we're going to do a political party can I nominate Mar as chief whip?, seeing as she's had to keep RV in line for year's.

moneyistooshorttomention

Karmacat wrote: »

I had to come back onto the thread, because I ended up not quoting this post. I've just turned 60, my state pension has already been delayed twice: the first time, by 4 years 9 months - I actually thought that was fair, if unfortunate for me, because we get it so much earlier than men, and yet mostly live lots longer. The second time, its been delayed by another 15 months, till I turn 66 - this one, I regard as unfair, I'll be honest. The thought that I might not get **anything** _pale_ wow.

My take is the Government (ANY Government) wouldn't dare come back for another go at any woman in the 60 plus agegroup. I was shocked and astonished when they came back for another go at woman in their 50s. Fortunately, I missed that and have kept my original "revised State Pension Age"...whew! But I definitely thought/think its appalling that they took a hit at women as old as in their 50s by shifting the goalposts on them again:eek:. I wouldn't put it past the Govt to hit women in their 50s again with a goalpost shift, but past 60th birthday = Safety Zone against that I would say.

I'm only too glad I'm in the 60 plus age group and add fact I have retired at Retirement Age (ie 60) and those goalposts are WAY too close for them to even think of hitting a woman my age again (ie for a 2nd time) and I would say it would count as positively inhuman to hit those slightly-younger-than-me but now over 60 women for a 3rd time.

Thank goodness the rest of my pension turns up at last later this year, so there is no way any Government (no matter how desperate they are or say they are could come for us again ...with only months to go). Unless they really wanted to come up against "One of us would be dead if they tried...and it wouldn't be me;)".

moneyistooshorttomention

Hmmmm.....I've been on the receiving end of strong hint (unless I am much mistaken) over t'last week that I should stand as a Councillor for a little local Council:shocked::D:shocked:

Its just struck me as to "If I did do that...and I'd probably win...then what Party banner would I actually be under?". Now I know one it definitely wouldn't be...but which one would it be? Hmmmm....goes off to investigate whether any of the existing councillors are Independents or Green Party....either of them would do for me....

nuatha

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

My take is the Government (ANY Government) wouldn't dare come back for another go at any woman in the 60 plus agegroup. I was shocked and astonished when they came back for another go at woman in their 50s. Fortunately, I missed that and have kept my original "revised State Pension Age"...whew! But I definitely thought/think its appalling that they took a hit at women as old as in their 50s by shifting the goalposts on them again:eek:. I wouldn't put it past the Govt to hit women in their 50s again with a goalpost shift, but past 60th birthday = Safety Zone against that I would say.

I love an optimist.
I wouldn't even consider "in receipt" to be safe.

I'm only too glad I'm in the 60 plus age group and add fact I have retired at Retirement Age (ie 60) and those goalposts are WAY too close for them to even think of hitting a woman my age again (ie for a 2nd time) and I would say it would count as positively inhuman to hit those slightly-younger-than-me but now over 60 women for a 3rd time.

Thank goodness the rest of my pension turns up at last later this year, so there is no way any Government (no matter how desperate they are or say they are could come for us again ...with only months to go). Unless they really wanted to come up against "One of us would be dead if they tried...and it wouldn't be me;)".

Unfortunately the Government got it seriously wrong with state pensions from the beginning. No provision has ever been made for paying out future pensions, the assumption has always been there would be sufficient income to pay current requirements and that would always be the case. Two of the many problems being, no account was made for an increase in birth rate or a decrease in the amount of people paying full time contributions in addition to a rise in life expectancy - the system is technically bankrupt, it doesn't have sufficient assets to pay its liabilities.