State pensions should be slashed

nashly

down to unemployment benefit rates as state pensions are the biggest drain on this country by far, as the government states that a single or couple can live on unemployment benefit then why can't pensioners who don't have to spend money looking for work and probably eat less than younger people live on the same rates ?

It would save the UK from a catastrophe that the pension bill will cause.

newbie1980

difference is pensioners have worked for there money

dossers can get of !!!!!! to earn more than pension would ever be

Jennifer_Jane

The difference is that pensioners have PAID for their money. I actually sent money to fund my NI contributions from overseas for 15 years. So now that I'm back in my home Country I can get part of the State Pension.


It's not comparable with having lost a job and become unemployed for a short period of time.


And pensioners have plenty of expenses: heating their house for longer than working people have to, and often needing warmth as they are older; maintaining their homes, or paying rent; they still need food and clothes (although I get most of mine from charity shops), and so on.


PS - agree with newbie1980's assessment!

somethingcorporate

Just to play devil's advocate here but what about pensioners that never worked? receiving the state pension doesn't guarantee that they did actually pay anything towards it...

ognum

Also to be devils advocate maybe it should be means tested.

CLAPTON

somethingcorporate wrote: »

Just to play devil's advocate here but what about pensioners that never worked? receiving the state pension doesn't guarantee that they did actually pay anything towards it...

In general, it's felt that letting people starve, is somehow wrong.

Jennifer_Jane

ognum wrote: »

Also to be devils advocate maybe it should be means tested.

It's a qualifying benefit: so are you expecting that someone who has paid in quite a lot of money over their working lives, should not receive the same amount who ends up with less money at retirement?


We do have pension credit to build up State Pension for those who are poorer.

MrsE_2

somethingcorporate wrote: »

Just to play devil's advocate here but what about pensioners that never worked? receiving the state pension doesn't guarantee that they did actually pay anything towards it...

This was fairly unheard of till recent times. Its only now we will have a number of pensioners who have spent their lives being career benefits claimants.

peterg1965

ognum wrote: »

Also to be devils advocate maybe it should be means tested.

Doubt it very much. Any attempt to do so would condemn the incumbent Government a very very long period of political exile or even extinction.

However, offering an optional 'opt out' of The state pension to those with a guarantee of other alternate pension income (above a certain level - £20k) in exchange for tax concessions or relief - that could be an idea.

stix62

Oh my, and here's me thinking it's the government and the bankers that are screwing this country over and leading us up the creek paddleless when it's the o.a.p's all along!

benefits and pensions are the biggest drain?
that's comical :T

CLAPTON

peterg1965 wrote: »

Doubt it very much. Any attempt to do so would condemn the incumbent Government a very very long period of political exile or even extinction.

However, offering an optional 'opt out' of The state pension to those with a guarantee of other alternate pension income (above a certain level - £20k) in exchange for tax concessions or relief - that could be an idea.

how would that work?

if the tax benefits of opting out were better than the pension then the taxpayer would lose

if the opposite, why would the person be stupid enough to make the opt out.