Election campaign kicks off

Thrugelmir

N1AK wrote: »

Are you a couple living in a 3 bed council house, in an area with no smaller council properties available? Tough luck scrounger, we're taking some benefits back!

Where does Housing Benefit up end? In the hands of private individuals.

Also benefits have risen faster than wages in the past 5 years.

Has to be a correction. Tories appear to want a short sharp one, whereas Labour haven't yet committed. Which isn't an option. as there's a hole in the finances that has to be fixed.

neverdespairgirl

Cyberman60 wrote: »

They have been cutting welfare spending and public sector wages for five years in order to reduce the annual deficit from 160 Billion pounds, and you have not noticed. :rotfl:

The govt borrowed well over £100 billion last financial year. That is not "austerity".

Graham_Devon

Thrugelmir wrote: »

Where does Housing Benefit up end? In the hands of private individuals.

Also benefits have risen faster than wages in the past 5 years.

Has to be a correction. Tories appear to want a short sharp one, whereas Labour haven't yet committed. Which isn't an option. as there's a hole in the finances that has to be fixed.

So long as the "correction" only hits certain people and not their main voters.

The issue here really isn't the benefits freeze. I think everyone is in broad agreement these things need to happen due to the state we are in.

What people are taking issue with is that all the weight seems to be falling onto the same shoulders.

If we need to save money, theres no need to reduce taxes so that wealthy people get to keep more of their wealth.

If we need to save money, sure, freeze benefits..... but at the same time look at winter payments for millionaires and pensioners spending their days on golf clubs or swanning round the EU in their 50k motorhomes. Look at getting rid of free bus passes and all the other pointless stuff that happens. Why insisit that someone on minimum wage with two kids has to pay for their asthma medication, but a multi millionaire who just so happens to be 65 get's his for free? Theres no real rhyme or reason for this anymore in this economic climate and every little helps as it were.

All these things not only help save money, which is, afterall, the prime aim (apparently). But they also show it's not just the working age, poorer in society taking the hit, it's everyone. I really don't think people would mind as much then.

We know were in tough times, we know theres work to do. But we also know when were being taken for a ride.

wotsthat

Graham_Devon wrote: »

If we need to save money, sure, freeze benefits..... but at the same time look at winter payments for millionaires and pensioners spending their days on golf clubs or swanning round the EU in their 50k motorhomes. Look at getting rid of free bus passes and all the other pointless stuff that happens. Why insisit that someone on minimum wage with two kids has to pay for their asthma medication, but a multi millionaire who just so happens to be 65 get's his for free? Theres no real rhyme or reason for this anymore in this economic climate and every little helps as it were.

Why should anyone be dependent on the state, young or old, for medication, transport, living expenses? If we didn't have to give nanny so much money then maybe we'd have a little more for ourselves. I don't even need to worry about giving to charity these days - nanny does even that for me.

Not quite sure why, other than politically, there has to be a them and us argument. Just how many millionaire pensioners are there swanning around Europe in motorhomes or playing golf whilst at the same time hammering their bus passes

Thrugelmir

wotsthat wrote: »

Why should anyone be dependent on the state, young or old, for medication, transport, living expenses? If we didn't have to give nanny so much money then maybe we'd have a little more for ourselves. I don't even need to worry about giving to charity these days - nanny does even that for me.

Not quite sure why, other than politically, there has to be a them and us argument. Just how many millionaire pensioners are there swanning around Europe in motorhomes or playing golf whilst at the same time hammering their bus passes

Sometimes we need to take a look at ourselves first. At our own contributions and what "we" cost the system.

wotsthat

Thrugelmir wrote: »

Sometimes we need to take a look at ourselves first. At our own contributions and what "we" cost the system.

Some of these arguments remind me of when my brother and I would argue about who got given the most chips by mummy.

There's a lack of pride in looking after oneself. Not that I'm one to talk - I'm trying to take out as much as possible whilst contributing the absolute minimum.

TickersPlaysPop

What ever manifestos pledge it would be nice to do it in a way that helps develop the economy into a robust healthy condition... such as encouraging investment into business growth and development, NOT increasingly encouraging buy to let'ism.

With the lack of young people voting we are set for a government who pander to the people that vote... and that is the older generations.

Pease please please can we Disincentivise pensioners investing in property....?? Surely it would be a good policy? Doing the opposite will lead to more demand for property as they all clamber and fight to get a good return for their lifetime savings due to poor savings interest rates and risky stock markets.

All I can see ahead is an ever increasing housing market. With interest rates with barely any chance of significant rises there is little to stop it, especially with now more pension money fueling it further.

I am seriously considering completely changing my financial planning.... And investing now in my own buy to let for my daughter, she is only 3mths old, but I do wonder if I don't will she be able to buy a place when is older?

CLAPTON

TickersPlaysPop wrote: »

What ever manifestos pledge it would be nice to do it in a way that helps develop the economy into a robust healthy condition... such as encouraging investment into business growth and development, NOT increasingly encouraging buy to let'ism.

With the lack of young people voting we are set for a government who pander to the people that vote... and that is the older generations.

Pease please please can we Disincentivise pensioners investing in property....?? Surely it would be a good policy? Doing the opposite will lead to more demand for property as they all clamber and fight to get a good return for their lifetime savings due to poor savings interest rates and risky stock markets.

All I can see ahead is an ever increasing housing market. With interest rates with barely any chance of significant rises there is little to stop it, especially with now more pension money fueling it further.

I am seriously considering completely changing my financial planning.... And investing now in my own buy to let for my daughter, she is only 3mths old, but I do wonder if I don't will she be able to buy a place when is older?

yes, we must build more houses to provide better homes for people to live in and also to lower the price.

ukcarper

TickersPlaysPop wrote: »

What ever manifestos pledge it would be nice to do it in a way that helps develop the economy into a robust healthy condition... such as encouraging investment into business growth and development, NOT increasingly encouraging buy to let'ism.

With the lack of young people voting we are set for a government who pander to the people that vote... and that is the older generations.

Pease please please can we Disincentivise pensioners investing in property....?? Surely it would be a good policy? Doing the opposite will lead to more demand for property as they all clamber and fight to get a good return for their lifetime savings due to poor savings interest rates and risky stock markets. I believe the average pension pot for someone retiring now is £44k.

All I can see ahead is an ever increasing housing market. With interest rates with barely any chance of significant rises there is little to stop it, especially with now more pension money fueling it further.

I am seriously considering completely changing my financial planning.... And investing now in my own buy to let for my daughter, she is only 3mths old, but I do wonder if I don't will she be able to buy a place when is older?

How many boomers are investing in property I'm a boomer myself and I know 1 person and he has bought his properties cash. There seems to be a misguided impression that all boomers are awash with money whereas the truth is most aren't . I believe the average pension pot for someone retiring now is £44k.

TickersPlaysPop

Thanks Carper

Please can you let me know where you got the average pension information from?

I would like to look at how the average was calculated, it's a potentially misleading thing to quote averages. Example, average uk house price is very misleading because at least London should be removed and regional averages are better to use in discussion.

Also, my comments about pensioners is not just about the pension pot size, it's total wealth, I.e. income from investments ISA's or plain shares, bonds etc, income from property lets, capital locked in the home they live in, income from any businesses still running. One of the pensioners I know has been on an income of around 30k per year after retiring mid 50's on final salary pension, he spends his time on golf courses and lives a very comfortable life. I see people like this as very lucky and also draining the system reducing the likelihood I will get a good return when I retire, and also forcing me to retire later.