Council Tax reduction

dodger1

HappyMJ wrote: »

Australia? I'm Australian and I will get a basic state pension of AUD$827.10 per fortnight even if I will contribute nothing at all to the Australian pension system due to living in the UK for most of my working life. However, I'll only get that if I were to return to Australia to live which I intend to do...and I get to keep my UK pension as well.

Do you qualify under the residency rules as you've spent much of your life abroad?

http://www.humanservices.gov.au/customer/services/centrelink/age-pension

dodger1

portly1 wrote: »

So you will get the equivalent of £244 a week from your Australian State pension and at least another £110 a week for your UK state pension?

Why is the Australian pension so high? How is it worked out then if you have never paid into their scheme?

Anyhow you surprise me, I thought Australia was different.

I don't blame you - £354 a week coming in whereas we here have to live on £110 a week, that is unless people want to claim Pension Credit.

The Australian state pension is means tested and looks high but based on the average Australian salary it's actually not. The single person's pension is approx. 25% of average male earnings so not that different to ours. Around 25% of Australian pensioners don't receive any state pension and many more receive a percentage.

princessdon

dodger1 wrote: »

The Australian state pension is means tested and looks high but based on the average Australian salary it's actually not. The single person's pension is approx. 25% of average male earnings so not that different to ours. Around 25% of Australian pensioners don't receive any state pension and many more receive a percentage.

Sounds Like something the UK should consider especially if they want votes. Current pensioners and those that pay their way would vote for any party that did that. You get what you pay in, not pay in and get SFA.

portly1

dodger1 wrote: »

The Australian state pension is means tested and looks high but based on the average Australian salary it's actually not. The single person's pension is approx. 25% of average male earnings so not that different to ours. Around 25% of Australian pensioners don't receive any state pension and many more receive a percentage.

In that case if the £244 is 25% of the average male wage, average earnings are approx. £976 a week!!!!

What the **** are we doing wrong then in this country when people are working for £6 or so an hour?

My BIL is a self employed precision engineer who contracts to the petrochemical industry. He has seen his hourly rate go from £65 an hour in 2007 to somewhere between £15 and £30 an hour now!!!

princessdon

portly1 wrote: »

In that case if the £244 is 25% of the average male wage, average earnings are approx. £976 a week!!!!

What the **** are we doing wrong then in this country when people are working for £6 or so an hour?

My BIL is a self employed precision engineer who contracts to the petrochemical industry. He has seen his hourly rate go from £65 an hour in 2007 to somewhere between £15 and £30 an hour now!!!

Our average is £26k AFTER tax, that's why the benefit cap was introduced at that rate.

portly1

princessdon wrote: »

Sounds Like something the UK should consider especially if they want votes. Current pensioners and those that pay their way would vote for any party that did that. You get what you pay in, not pay in and get SFA.

I agree with that!!!!

I didn't go to work for 44 years only to be told that when I retire I will only be receiving £35 a week more than if I had never worked or paid into the Ni system.

Damn disgrace and totally unfair.

HappyMJ

dodger1 wrote: »

Do you qualify under the residency rules as you've spent much of your life abroad?

http://www.humanservices.gov.au/customer/services/centrelink/age-pension

Yes...spent my first 25 years in Australia (worked for about 3 of them) and came here to work. Working for 12 years here so far is most of my working life. I doubt I'll get a full UK state pension.

portly1

princessdon wrote: »

Our average is £26k AFTER tax, that's why the benefit cap was introduced at that rate.

Try telling the millions that are out of work that they should not ought to be looking for anything less than £500 net when job searching and claiming JSA.

If that is a fact, and that £500 net is the average male UK wage, why is it that I seldom see jobs advertised paying more than the NMW?

Most people that I know are only earning half that figure (£260 a week net) and they are led to believe that they are doing well in getting a job that pays that level of income.

HappyMJ

portly1 wrote: »

In that case if the £244 is 25% of the average male wage, average earnings are approx. £976 a week!!!!

What the **** are we doing wrong then in this country when people are working for £6 or so an hour?

Living costs are twice as much. Minimum wage is very high. Go to a pub and a pint of beer costs AUD$8-10...

princessdon

portly1 wrote: »

Try telling the millions that are out of work that they should not ought to be looking for anything less than £500 net when job searching and claiming JSA.

If that is a fact, and that £500 net is the average male UK wage, why is it that I seldom see jobs advertised paying more than the NMW?

Looking in wrong places?

I found 213 in my area on £26k plus on one job site. JC plus website would not be the same.

I don't set the cap the govt did based on the average wage