Todays pensioners are ignored, tommorrows pensioners will have to work longer.
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Todays pensioners are ignored, tommorrows pensioners will have to work longer.
ivanhoe Mon Jan 21, 2013 10:52 pm
State pensions: White Paper whitewash?
This is copied and pasted from my regional paper recently.
Dot Gibson, General Secretary of the National Pensioners Convention, concludes that the Government plans to end up paying less for state pensions...
Britain has a terrible record on pensions and the way it treats older people. Even after 100 years of the state pension we still have one the least generous schemes in Europe, largely as a result of successive governments having refused to properly look after those in retirement.
Dot Gibson, General Secretary of the National Pensioners Convention, says Britain has a terrible record on pensions and the way it treats older people. 'Even after 100 years of the state pension we still have one the least generous schemes in Europe, largely as a result of successive governments having refused to properly look after those in retirement'
Many will remember the 1980s when Margaret Thatcher broke the link between pensions and earnings – stripping over £60 a week off the value of today's state pension – or the debacle in 2000 when Gordon Brown decided that the pension should only go up by 75p a week.
Given this history, it's no surprise that one in five older people still live below the official poverty line, three million pensioner homes suffer from fuel poverty and millions more are faced with rising living costs and are struggling to get by on very modest incomes.
Against this background, on Monday the Government announced a White Paper on the future of the state pension which started with a fanfare and ended on a bum note.
Under the plan, after April 2017 the basic state pension and the second state pension (formerly known to many as SERPS) would be merged into a single pension of around £144 a week at today's prices and paid to anyone who had contributed 35 years of National Insurance payments into the system. To many this sounds like a much simpler way of doing things – that is until you take a closer look at the small print.
Today, workers are required to pay 30 years of National Insurance and for that will receive a combined basic and second state pension of at least £150 a week. So the White Paper asks people to pay for longer and get less. Not only that, but the Government also plans to keep changing the retirement age. It's already set to be 67 by 2028 – and many in Whitehall think it should go to 70; OK for politicians sitting in Westminster all day – but not so good for those doing heavy manual or physically demanding jobs. For them the chances are they might never get to draw their pension.
The real problem with the Government's plan is that it does nothing to address the terrible situation facing many of today's pensioners.
Around five million existing older women don't get a full state pension because of time spent bringing up their children, paying the 'married women's stamp (which didn't go towards any pension) or in low paid jobs that didn't qualify. They don't get anywhere near £144 a week – but anyone who is already retired won't be covered by the new arrangements.
This is likely to create even more complexity and unfairness, in what is already a highly complicated and unfair pension system. It seems that every generation will be on slightly different amounts of pension which will be governed by slightly different rules.
The Government has said this is a simplification of the system – but the truth is the first person to receive their state pension solely under the new rules won't do so until 2080! If it's so simple – why will it take nearly 70 years to come into force?
The new system will actually end up spending less on state pensions than the current system and respected bodies such as the Institute for Fiscal Studies have now declared that in the long run everyone will be worse off as a result of these proposals. It seems almost unbelievable given all the pressures that older people are under that there's no new money.
The vast majority of our 11 million existing pensioners deserve and need a higher state pension now. Every year they add £40bn more to the economy than they take out, through taxes, voluntary work and unpaid caring. Meanwhile, millions of people at work have seen their occupational pension schemes disappear or become worth less and less over time.
The prospects of future generations having decent company pensions to make up for an inadequate state pension are not looking good.
What the Government needs to do is re-think its approach. Instead, we need to raise the state pension for all existing pensioners above the official poverty level of £178 a week and keep a second state pension that gives extra help to the low paid.
By doing so we could end the need for widespread means-testing and give a bit of dignity back to the older generation – without the need to fill in forms or go looking for hand outs. This too would also help the pensioners of tomorrow – by guaranteeing that they would get a decent basic pension when they retired – without the need to work till they dropped.
This is copied and pasted from my regional paper recently.
Dot Gibson, General Secretary of the National Pensioners Convention, concludes that the Government plans to end up paying less for state pensions...
Britain has a terrible record on pensions and the way it treats older people. Even after 100 years of the state pension we still have one the least generous schemes in Europe, largely as a result of successive governments having refused to properly look after those in retirement.
Dot Gibson, General Secretary of the National Pensioners Convention, says Britain has a terrible record on pensions and the way it treats older people. 'Even after 100 years of the state pension we still have one the least generous schemes in Europe, largely as a result of successive governments having refused to properly look after those in retirement'
Many will remember the 1980s when Margaret Thatcher broke the link between pensions and earnings – stripping over £60 a week off the value of today's state pension – or the debacle in 2000 when Gordon Brown decided that the pension should only go up by 75p a week.
Given this history, it's no surprise that one in five older people still live below the official poverty line, three million pensioner homes suffer from fuel poverty and millions more are faced with rising living costs and are struggling to get by on very modest incomes.
Against this background, on Monday the Government announced a White Paper on the future of the state pension which started with a fanfare and ended on a bum note.
Under the plan, after April 2017 the basic state pension and the second state pension (formerly known to many as SERPS) would be merged into a single pension of around £144 a week at today's prices and paid to anyone who had contributed 35 years of National Insurance payments into the system. To many this sounds like a much simpler way of doing things – that is until you take a closer look at the small print.
Today, workers are required to pay 30 years of National Insurance and for that will receive a combined basic and second state pension of at least £150 a week. So the White Paper asks people to pay for longer and get less. Not only that, but the Government also plans to keep changing the retirement age. It's already set to be 67 by 2028 – and many in Whitehall think it should go to 70; OK for politicians sitting in Westminster all day – but not so good for those doing heavy manual or physically demanding jobs. For them the chances are they might never get to draw their pension.
The real problem with the Government's plan is that it does nothing to address the terrible situation facing many of today's pensioners.
Around five million existing older women don't get a full state pension because of time spent bringing up their children, paying the 'married women's stamp (which didn't go towards any pension) or in low paid jobs that didn't qualify. They don't get anywhere near £144 a week – but anyone who is already retired won't be covered by the new arrangements.
This is likely to create even more complexity and unfairness, in what is already a highly complicated and unfair pension system. It seems that every generation will be on slightly different amounts of pension which will be governed by slightly different rules.
The Government has said this is a simplification of the system – but the truth is the first person to receive their state pension solely under the new rules won't do so until 2080! If it's so simple – why will it take nearly 70 years to come into force?
The new system will actually end up spending less on state pensions than the current system and respected bodies such as the Institute for Fiscal Studies have now declared that in the long run everyone will be worse off as a result of these proposals. It seems almost unbelievable given all the pressures that older people are under that there's no new money.
The vast majority of our 11 million existing pensioners deserve and need a higher state pension now. Every year they add £40bn more to the economy than they take out, through taxes, voluntary work and unpaid caring. Meanwhile, millions of people at work have seen their occupational pension schemes disappear or become worth less and less over time.
The prospects of future generations having decent company pensions to make up for an inadequate state pension are not looking good.
What the Government needs to do is re-think its approach. Instead, we need to raise the state pension for all existing pensioners above the official poverty level of £178 a week and keep a second state pension that gives extra help to the low paid.
By doing so we could end the need for widespread means-testing and give a bit of dignity back to the older generation – without the need to fill in forms or go looking for hand outs. This too would also help the pensioners of tomorrow – by guaranteeing that they would get a decent basic pension when they retired – without the need to work till they dropped.
Last edited by ivanhoe on Sat Jan 26, 2013 3:11 am; edited 1 time in total
ivanhoe- Admin
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Re: Todays pensioners are ignored, tommorrows pensioners will have to work longer.
tigaroodit Tue Jan 22, 2013 3:08 am
I am relieved to hear that the new scheme will not affect those already retired! If it did, I would be taking a cut to my pension. It may be selfish of me to think that way but it is a relief all the same! I can imagine how chaotic the system will be with everyone on differing level of payments! I worked for 48 years without a break and paid my full National Insurance contributions but things like that seem to count for very little these days! God help those who retire after me being forced to work well into their old age.
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Re: Todays pensioners are ignored, tommorrows pensioners will have to work longer.
ivanhoe Tue Jan 22, 2013 3:19 am
tigaroodit wrote:I am relieved to hear that the new scheme will not affect those already retired! If it did, I would be taking a cut to my pension. It may be selfish of me to think that way but it is a relief all the same! I can imagine how chaotic the system will be with everyone on differing level of payments! I worked for 48 years without a break and paid my full National Insurance contributions but things like that seem to count for very little these days! God help those who retire after me being forced to work well into their old age.
Hi, im disgusted to know that todays pensioners are still on a lousy State pension and means tested handouts, and that this new system in 2017 will be for tomorrows pensioners who will receive more money in State pensions and means testing will be scrapped.
But anyway it doesnt matter because this coalition and their future pensions policy will be on the political scrap heap in 2015.
PS. Baring in mind my site is highlighting the disgraceful way British Governments have treated UK pensioners since the 80's, do you have any feelings or sympathy for today's pensioners who definately have been forgotten by their country since the 80's. ?
ivanhoe- Admin
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tigaroodit Tue Jan 22, 2013 3:45 am
It would be impossible to not feel sympathy for the pensioners and their measly pittance that they have to manage on. I am only into my 3rd month and I still get butterflies in my stomach wondering how I'm going to manage. Learning to 'do without' is the night class I should be attending I think!
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ivanhoe Tue Jan 22, 2013 3:47 am
tigaroodit wrote:It would be impossible to not feel sympathy for the pensioners and their measly pittance that they have to manage on. I am only into my 3rd month and I still get butterflies in my stomach wondering how I'm going to manage. Learning to 'do without' is the night class I should be attending I think!
Have you been to my other postings ?
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tigaroodit Tue Jan 22, 2013 4:05 am
Only the one titled Manifesto. Haven't seen others???
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ivanhoe Tue Jan 22, 2013 4:10 am
tigaroodit wrote:Only the one titled Manifesto. Haven't seen others???
When you get time have a look at the others.
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Papaumau Mon Jan 28, 2013 12:49 am
It will take a very brave government to resist the powerful influence that we, ( the pensioners ), now have on political success for any or all of the parties.
We are known to them as "the grey vote" and they are well aware that we are now organised and dangerous and growing every day.
We have the power to make them or to break them and we have to keep reminding them of this fact if we want better treatment in the future.
Very soon we are going to have to rise up, grab our zimmers, get to the polling booths, and lay those crosses where it hurts.
Regards.....
Papaumau
We are known to them as "the grey vote" and they are well aware that we are now organised and dangerous and growing every day.
We have the power to make them or to break them and we have to keep reminding them of this fact if we want better treatment in the future.
Very soon we are going to have to rise up, grab our zimmers, get to the polling booths, and lay those crosses where it hurts.
Regards.....
Papaumau
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Re: Todays pensioners are ignored, tommorrows pensioners will have to work longer.
ivanhoe Mon Jan 28, 2013 1:26 am
Papaumau wrote:It will take a very brave government to resist the powerful influence that we, ( the pensioners ), now have on political success for any or all of the parties.
We are known to them as "the grey vote" and they are well aware that we are now organised and dangerous and growing every day.
We have the power to make them or to break them and we have to keep reminding them of this fact if we want better treatment in the future.
Very soon we are going to have to rise up, grab our zimmers, get to the polling booths, and lay those crosses where it hurts.
Regards.....
Papaumau
Papa, this sounds good in theory, but sadly pensioners in my 25 years experience are just as divided as the rest of the UK.
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Zimmers to the polls!
tigaroodit Mon Jan 28, 2013 11:04 am
Hi Papaumau,
That conjures up a great image! You're right though! there are a lot of us! We should be able to make an impression.
Regards, Mari.
That conjures up a great image! You're right though! there are a lot of us! We should be able to make an impression.
Regards, Mari.
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Join date : 2013-01-20
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ivanhoe Mon Jan 28, 2013 9:51 pm
tigaroodit wrote:Hi Papaumau,
That conjures up a great image! You're right though! there are a lot of us! We should be able to make an impression.
Regards, Mari.
Hi Mari,
Yes it does conjure up a great image, but it's sadly a false image. Britain's 12 million pensioners are divided by those with extra income other than the State pension. Those who are living just on the State pension and handouts means tested or otherwise. And those who refuse to be means tested for handouts through pride.
This right wing Tory lead coalition are dead against the role of the State and everything to do with it.
And since Margaret Thatcher broke the link keeping State pension directly linked to British prosperity, no right wing Government, including New Labour, have restored the link.
I recall Tony Blair stating that to re-link State pensions to earnings, would be a terrible burden to working people, that was Mr Blair's attitude.
Every year at Blackpool or Brighten, the National Pensioners Convention hold a massive meeting, and invite politicians to talk to the pensioners, and every year many politicians decline.
And every year the BBC TV media fail to report these meetings on the news, because they are burying it.
This site of mine is dedicated to saying the things neither politicians or the media will say, because in my view they are keeping the British public in the dark.
Thank you for being a member of my site, and please read my other postings, and please sign my petition, and tell other people about my site.
My main objective with this site is to raise awareness among the young, because I have long believed that young people should consolidate and stand and be counted on behalf of their parents and grandparents, many of whom fought for this country during the War years.
The annual cost of delivering the basic State pension to each pensioner in this country is just £5.40. Means-testing pensioners via Pension Credit costs £53.70
The Tories are conning the whole country by stating that up rating the State pension is not affordable. And the media are going along with this. Nobody is challenging this. Hence one reason why I'm standing as an Independent candidate for Parliament at the next General election, against a residing Lib-Dem MP.
I'm sick of the bull coming from both the media and the politicians, I'm sick of the lies, I'm sick of politicians with no integrity whatsoever.
Millions of our elderly people are having to choose between heating their homes and buying food, 1 in 5 from 12 million are suffering hypothermia related illness due to lack of money to live on.
And thousands of pensioners are dying of cold through the winter months. latest figures reveal that Winter deaths in this country claim 200 pensioners a day.
Britain's basic State pension for single pensioners is "£107- 45 a week"", this following a 30, 40, and 50 year working life paying into the system taxes and NI contributions.
Ivanhoe
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tigaroodit Tue Jan 29, 2013 10:42 am
Hi Ivanhoe,
It's such a shame that as a group we should be so divided when everyone knows that strength comes from standing together! I
I didn't know about the Pensioners Convention but I'm not surprised that the BBC don't report on it. They are, and have always been, merely puppets in the hands of whichever party happens to be in office. That way, they can be sure of their inflated salaries, overblown pensions and undeserved bonuses to keep them fat and happy in their pampered old age as opposed to the rest of us!
Haven't I signed your petition? If not I shall have to rectify that. Laptop is being a right pain in the backside again tonight so I may not be able to do it straight away.
Mari.
It's such a shame that as a group we should be so divided when everyone knows that strength comes from standing together! I
I didn't know about the Pensioners Convention but I'm not surprised that the BBC don't report on it. They are, and have always been, merely puppets in the hands of whichever party happens to be in office. That way, they can be sure of their inflated salaries, overblown pensions and undeserved bonuses to keep them fat and happy in their pampered old age as opposed to the rest of us!
Haven't I signed your petition? If not I shall have to rectify that. Laptop is being a right pain in the backside again tonight so I may not be able to do it straight away.
Mari.
tigaroodit- Posts : 13
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ivanhoe Tue Jan 29, 2013 10:11 pm
tigaroodit wrote:Hi Ivanhoe,
It's such a shame that as a group we should be so divided when everyone knows that strength comes from standing together! I
I didn't know about the Pensioners Convention but I'm not surprised that the BBC don't report on it. They are, and have always been, merely puppets in the hands of whichever party happens to be in office. That way, they can be sure of their inflated salaries, overblown pensions and undeserved bonuses to keep them fat and happy in their pampered old age as opposed to the rest of us!
Haven't I signed your petition? If not I shall have to rectify that. Laptop is being a right pain in the backside again tonight so I may not be able to do it straight away.
Hi tigaroodit, The BBC are obliged to be politically impartial at all times. My bone of contention is that this rotten right wing Tory lead coalition, are ideologically removing the role of what the State should be funding care of income tax tax payers money paid into State coffers, for our vital services, our welfare State, and Community care for the elderly and State pensions. I'm waiting for the BBC worm to turn.
Ivanhoe
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