Is State Pension Alone Enough To Live On?

Conan1Sett

So I am talking about pure survival here...

I've worked out that state pension would be £179 per month approximately. 

At the moment I'm 32 and the pension I have my employer is somewhat dire. I worked out that making a £50 contribution every month until retirement age would give me an extra £2k per year on top of state pension.

I am just wondering if state pension is enough to live on. Talking a residential care home at £77 per week, council tax, power, water and food. Possibly a TV subscription and basic phone contract?

eastcorkram

Where can you get a care home at £77 a week?
Wouldn't it be more like £1,000 a week?

Conan1Sett

eastcorkram said:

Where can you get a care home at £77 a week?
Wouldn't it be more like £1,000 a week?

I live in the North East of England and the amount quoted was £77 a week. 

comeandgo

How did you work out that state pension would be £179 a month? 

 My friend is self paying in a home and she is close to £1,500 a week for the home.
.

Conan1Sett

comeandgo said:

How did you work out that state pension would be £179 a month? 

 My friend is self paying in a home and she is close to £1,500 a week for the home.
.

I don't know what to tell you. The figure I was given was £77 a week. Maybe the care isn't as good? 

Conan1Sett

comeandgo said:

How did you work out that state pension would be £179 a month? 

 My friend is self paying in a home and she is close to £1,500 a week for the home.
.

And I should say that I looked up the state pension amount, rather than I worked it out. 

Silvertabby

Do you mean council house? As for the State pension being enough to live on, right from the start it was only ever intended to cover a very basic standard of living, with any extras being paid for by savings/private pensions.

comeandgo

I think your two figures are way off but my mum had basic state pension, no private pension.  There is pension credit which gives you extra payment and she did not pay any rent and very little in council tax.  She had plenty money, she did not have a car and did not smoke but had plenty for what she wanted.  

Conan1Sett

Silvertabby said:

Do you mean council house? As for the State pension being enough to live on, right from the start it was only ever intended to cover a very basic standard of living, with any extras being paid for by savings/private pensions.

No. 

Being that you're the second person to ask about this I'm going to phone up tomorrow to double check. 

anonmoose

Is it possibly if you don't have many savings and the govt. pays but possibly it's over the govt. allowance so you have to top up?  As self paying would be at least £750 a week upwards to over £1500.  

I know we were told when we asked the question that if an elderly relative who was a private payer ran out of funds the council would pay the majority but we as relatives would have to pay a surplus amount over the govt. allowance for them to stay in the same home. 

If relatives didn't have any funds to pay the surplus then the council would cover the whole fee in certain homes but you would have to move from the private home to a cheaper one the council picks.

comeandgo

The state pension would be £179 a week, not a month.