Nice People Thread No. 15, a Cyber Summer

michaels

chewmylegoff wrote: »

I am personally expecting fairly aggressive means testing of state pension payments to be introduced in about 15-20 years time.

Sounds like a very good reason to retire as early as possible in the hope that they are less likely to change the rules for those who have already retired....

It is a bit carp that the votes of older citizens (those most likely to vote) are being purchase via a ponzi scheme (triple lock) and there is no sensible opposition to this.

Generali

zagubov wrote: »

I've a cousin in Aus who seems to be professionally involved in pension schemes and funding. Seems to be a major topic of discussion over there.

Are they transitioning already from the pay-for your-parents to the pay for yourself model?

That happened a long time ago. Now we have the 'Super' system.

Everyone earning more than ~£200 a month is paid an extra 9.5% which is taxed at 15% and put into a Super account which can be accessed on retirement. You can choose who will invest the money on your behalf but if you don't the money will be invested in the default scheme chosen by your employer which has strict fee limits.

As a result of this system, Australia is in the top 5 countries for pensions savings (the UK is marginally higher) as a proportion of GDP.

To pay previously Government promised DB pensions, aging costs and means tested pensions for the poor Australia has the Future Fund. Current obligations are estimated at $1,000,000,000,000 and assets are about $500,000,000,000. Normally companies that are privatised ! la BT, Royal Mail etc. a chuck of the shares go to the Future Fund. The Future Fund was set up by a Liberal Government and, I believe I am right in saying, has only been added to by Liberal Governments.

At the last election the Labor(sic) party planned on raiding Super schemes on a compulsory basis to pay for 'investment'. Thankfully they lost although we did get stuck with the utter Arsenal Tony Abbott as a result.

michaels

Talking of Arsenal, 4 games, 5 points - are dreams being dreamed?

Betfair have it as slightly less likely than Brexit....

Generali

michaels wrote: »

Talking of Arsenal, 4 games, 5 points - are dreams being dreamed?

Betfair have it as slightly less likely than Brexit....

We don't use the A-word in our house.

And let's not imagine that the Spurs v A...... rivalry is a North London thing because that lot are from South London. They're basically a crap version of Millwall.

And don't get me started on Chelsea. Horrible anti-Semites.

silvercar

Generali wrote: »

State Pensions and the NHS are crippling the UK state. Either they get slashed or most of the rest of the welfare state will have to go. That's just sums.

Dismantling the NHS is starting. The number of private GPs that have opened up in the last few years, leads me to think that either GP practices are less well funded than they used to be or people have become more demanding.

It always was the weak link on private health insurance that you needed a GP referral and that could take longer than arranging a private appointment.

Now some private hospitals have out of hours GP services and there are stand alone private GP centres and private roving GPs.

Generali

silvercar wrote: »

Dismantling the NHS is starting. The number of private GPs that have opened up in the last few years, leads me to think that either GP practices are less well funded than they used to be or people have become more demanding.

It always was the weak link on private health insurance that you needed a GP referral and that could take longer than arranging a private appointment.

Now some private hospitals have out of hours GP services and there are stand alone private GP centres and private roving GPs.

All GPs are private in Aus and we do okay.

michaels

silvercar wrote: »

Dismantling the NHS is starting. The number of private GPs that have opened up in the last few years, leads me to think that either GP practices are less well funded than they used to be or people have become more demanding.

It always was the weak link on private health insurance that you needed a GP referral and that could take longer than arranging a private appointment.

Now some private hospitals have out of hours GP services and there are stand alone private GP centres and private roving GPs.

But is the NHS offering less or just that people can afford more - we have long had private education without it 'dismantling' state education.

Personally I think the NHS should be able to offer enhanced services for those who pay to cross sudsidise those who can't - for example

I can get a same day GP appointment on the NHS but basically have to join a queue at the end of regular surgery - why not let me pay £10 to be first on that queue - I get to see the GP without waiting and everyone else waits 10 minutes longer, a wait they might have had anyway had I been the first to call up at 8AM when the same day appointment booking line opened.

Similarly A&E, triage on arrival for everyone (which basically creates two queues, 'needs to be seen now' and can be seen when there are no 'need to be seen nows' waiting) but then an option to pay a fee (£100 per hour saved?) to jump the queue of non-urgents?

And of course similar for blood tests etc etc

hjd

Generali wrote: »

We don't use the A-word in our house.

And let's not imagine that the Spurs v A...... rivalry is a North London thing because that lot are from South London. They're basically a crap version of Millwall.

And don't get me started on Chelsea. Horrible anti-Semites.

My DD lives directly opposite the A****** stadium. Fine place to live a lot of the time.
My family support Wimbledon. The proper one, not Franchise FC. They are going down, we could be going up to meet them next season...

silvercar

But is the NHS offering less or just that people can afford more - we have long had private education without it 'dismantling' state education.

Must be the NHS offering less, because there has never been a demand until recently.

Don;t think the comparison works, as people are keeping their NHS GP and using private GP to supplement for a more responsive service. Whereas private schools take children out of the state system.

silvercar

PasturesNew wrote: »

Queenie on a walkabout .... how do you frisk an open, jostling crowd for bombs? I'm guessing it's scanners and sniffer dogs at entrances.

Security mingling in the crowd. cctv being remotely monitored.