State Pension - will it eventually be means tested?

SouthCoastBoy

I've always thought the state pension will be available to all pensioners that have the necessary NI contributions, however if the following is going to come to fruition, https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-66187743, I think there may be a time when it will be means tested, govt debt is becoming unsustainable in the UK.

To avert such borrowings the govt need to reconsider their govt funded DB schemes and benefits, not sure any govt is brave enough to tackle these issues head on though.

Steve_666_

Would this be uk gov renegading on the implicit contract they have had with NI contributors over the last 40 years?

Pollycat

I think the OP is taking an article and reading something into it that is not mentioned.

The_Green_Hornet

No it won't be means tested.

af1963

Anything's possible, but any government proposing this would have difficulty getting re-elected. Why would they pick a fight over this when it's much easier for them to raise money via stealth tax increases, frozen allowances, etc, and not face the same level of protest ?

Linton

Agree it wont be means tested - the admin from having the the majority of the  over-SP age population receiving means tested benefits could make this impracticable.   However the SP age will be increased as (or if) life expectancy increases or perhaps the government does some long term planning and decides we need a higher working/non-working ratio.

There are better and more politically acceptable ways of reducing the net costs of SP.  For example high income over-SP age people paying at least some NI could easily be justified as the the elderly are the main users of the NHS.

SouthCoastBoy

Pollycat said:

I think the OP is taking an article and reading something into it that is not mentioned.

Yes correct, it's an hypothesis 

tigerspill

I don't think it will be any time soon.  Political suicide  for any party progressing this.
And even if they did, any accrued SP would almost certainly be grandfathered in so you wouldnt actually lose built up benefits.

ader42

I would have thought it more likely to gradually increase the minimum pension contribution levels from 8%

QrizB

tigerspill said:

I don't think it will be any time soon.  Political suicide  for any party progressing this.

I could imagine it being tapered away at higher incomes, like HICBC.

Far from being political suicide, most people (even most pensioners) wouldn't object in the slightest.

Rodders53

QrizB said:

Far from being political suicide, most people (even most pensioners) wouldn't object in the slightest.

Oh yes they would.  Well this pensioner does object.  I can only speak for myself, of course

NB "Most" voted for Brexit. Many didn't. Some didn't vote at all.