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Pension

Started by: PeterP (11223)

Today I got my statement for my state pension. I have been given a rise of £312 per year.
Stack this against
Council tax up by £60 per year
Elect/Gas up to press up by £720 per year
add onto that the price of fuel and food and I think I will be about £800 worse off this year

Started: 24th Mar 2022 at 09:39

Posted by: Owd Codger (3013)

Peter P

It might even get worse with the present economic and financial state of the world which is not helped by a war involving Russia and coming out of a world wide pandemic.

If things get really bad, it might even result in many downsizing on houses, cars etc.

As McMillian would have said, "You never had it so good"

Replied: 24th Mar 2022 at 09:53

Posted by: Platty (2107)

Peter P: This chancellor is just a rich kid with no idea. (That goes for Labour as well). He is so against the aged. Personally, I think he is racist, he hates the old white people, remnants of the empire.
I work with a charity for the aged (not Help the Aged) and the people in there, especially the women, is chronic. Youngsters today moan about how rich pensioners are, but we worked for what we've got. Went without, nothing on the drip, just the mortgage...
But the women - no maternity leave/ pay, no sick leave/pay, no holiday pay in places. No wonder they couldn't save for old age. And now, for those who have struggled to buy their own home, one lady told me she had 3 jobs when her children were young, to pay the mortgage, it's taken off them to pay for their care.
And layer upon layer of public sector workers with gold plated pensions.

Replied: 24th Mar 2022 at 10:03

Posted by: whups (13119) 

labour isnt in charge & all references about them are hypothetical & of no real significance are they .but your right as far as this chancellor is concerned & 1 of my cousins does charity work for the local hospice shop of which i donate on occasions . he looked after his own lot including his wife who got a 20 mill contract for ppi when he wrote off 4.5 billion. so much for protecting the taxpayers money ? .

Replied: 24th Mar 2022 at 11:41

Posted by: ena malcup (4151) 

In 2008, something happened. One of the consequences, for the vast majority of Brits, was that their real income saw no growth over the next decade.

(Though the very wealthy saw acceleration in the rate at which their wealth increased.)

Sunak, as a hedge fund operator made a fortune from the misfortune of the rest of us.

It was not simply a windfall He was speculating against the interests of the common wealth of the rest of us, ie actually driving the process which was leaving so many worse off.

Better pick a pocket or two...

I suspect his blind trust (blind to us, anyroad) is going to once again make a lot of pelf from the coming decline in living standard facing most.

Are you happy that your well being is in the hands of this man?

Replied: 24th Mar 2022 at 15:32

Posted by: Tommy Two Stroke (15202)

"Better pick a pocket or two..."

He is not a Jew, he's a Hindoo

Replied: 24th Mar 2022 at 15:37

Posted by: ena malcup (4151) 

I was not implying that he was Jewish.

That would probably constitute antisemitism.

I am questioning his moral worthiness to be occupying the position which he holds.

Replied: 24th Mar 2022 at 15:58

Posted by: ena malcup (4151) 

Replied: 24th Mar 2022 at 16:19
Last edited by ena malcup: 24th Mar 2022 at 16:20:32

Posted by: jarvo (30250) 

£312 a year???

Replied: 24th Mar 2022 at 19:24

Posted by: PeterP (11223)

Jarvo what is strange about £312 a year or £6 per week

Replied: 24th Mar 2022 at 19:37

Posted by: jarvo (30250) 

Sorry, Peter, I thought you said per month.

Replied: 24th Mar 2022 at 23:31

Posted by: Owd Codger (3013)

Whups

Many care workers all over the country including Wigan who were working for Councils on decent wages with increments for working unsocial hours are now working on the minimum wage with no increments for working unsocial hours, zero hour contracts as a result of the Tories putting social care work into into the private sector of care companies making a fast buck.


Not to mention the terrible turn over of employees as a result!





Did Labour controlled Councils and the Unions do anything to oppose it or even refuse to implement it?

NO!

Replied: 25th Mar 2022 at 00:30
Last edited by Owd Codger: 25th Mar 2022 at 00:35:45

Posted by: whups (13119) 

just look at burnham being made a scapegoat by this government . did you take time to think that after starving councils mainly labour ones of money that they maybe being directed by them ? .and have you forgot that cleaners went on strike because they were going to be made to move into a private company from the NHS . ASK YOURSELF THAT . your certainly anti labour arnt you laughing boy .and i reiterate what i said above that any comments about labour are insignificant because they arnt running the country or making the laws .

Replied: 25th Mar 2022 at 01:18
Last edited by whups: 25th Mar 2022 at 01:24:16

Posted by: Owd Codger (3013)

Whups

Not a rant, just an inside knowledge of what goes on in the Labour controlled Wigan Council.

Many employee's made redundant, transferred to lower paid jobs in the private sector like those in the old peoples homes, meals on wheels service, some of whom were people with disabilities.

Employees sacked after appearing in what can only be term as a "Kangaroo" court.

Old people's homes and the meals service sold to private companies and a lower standard of service and quality.

Not to mention the employee who embezzled a substantial amount of money, but was not sacked as she was connected with Wigan Labour Party.

I had voted Labour all my life until I found that many of those making the decisions on Wigan Council were no different than the Tories when it come to ending employment on decent wages and putting them into the private sector of poor pay and conditions.

That's what people like yourself are voting for at Council election time, but the majority are not as results show after polling day.

p.s. Evidently, you are not aware that Councils are now run as commercial businesses and not a extensive Public Service like a few years ago!

p.p.s. Now I have had a rant!


Replied: 25th Mar 2022 at 06:55

Posted by: whups (13119) 

they are being FORCED to be a "commercial enterprise" by a government policy of starving them to a privitised situation . i find it VERY difficult you have ever voted labour & your constant rants & condemnation of them . you NEVER mention anything bad for the public by this tory regime . you seem to forget who it was who gave us the winter fuel allowance , free bus passes & free TV licences for the over 75s .

Replied: 25th Mar 2022 at 11:36

Posted by: gaffer (7929) 

Whups
Unfortunately the people paying the taxes to pay for the pensioners freebies voted Tory.
Wigan Council have a current annual spend of around £3100 for each of the 325,000 citizens.

Replied: 25th Mar 2022 at 13:50

Posted by: tonker (27835) 

Times are hard. You'll all have to go back on t'doors!

Replied: 25th Mar 2022 at 17:23

Posted by: Owd Codger (3013)

Excuse me, but I was under the impression that many of the pensioners who have worked hard all their life and not on state benefits still pay taxes for the 'perks' of winter fuel allowance, free bus passes and the former free TV licence for the Over 75's.

A Winter Fuel Allowance which has never gone up under either Tory or Labour Governments since it was introduced and is even not being increased to help pay the 'rip off' energy prices now being introduced by energy companies who have millions in their bank accounts which should be there to offset any large increases in prices.
A free bus pass which allowed pensioners to travel free on the trains and trams in the Greater Manchester area, but had a £10 annual levy imposed by a Labour elected Mayor to pay for 16/17's to have free travel.
A free TV Licence for the Over 75's ended by the Tories.

What my Wife and I get for 'free', we have paid for all our working life in taxation and NI contributions and are still paying taxes for it in retirement.


Replied: 26th Mar 2022 at 06:48
Last edited by Owd Codger: 26th Mar 2022 at 07:50:54

Posted by: PeterP (11223)

Well said Owd Codger I worked for 45 years and paid into the system and I also paid into my pit pension . Now because I am over the tax threshold (the personal allowance as not gone up this year) I pay tax through my pit pension The bus pass is given to people over the age of 66 in G Manchester but in Merseyside it is it is 60 Why the difference by area

Replied: 26th Mar 2022 at 07:47

Posted by: kathpressey (5590) 

I'm with you Peter P. I paid tax at work and now get my pension taxed. It grates!Down here in Plymouth you get your pus pass when you reach state pension age. My friend has just got hers at 67!

Replied: 26th Mar 2022 at 09:07

Posted by: Anne (4384) 

Once again the belief that I have paid NI/taxes all my life surfaces. You did not pay these monies in for your future benefit, you were paying it for the retired of your generation as the present workforce is now paying for your retirement pensions etc.
Paying into a works or private pension fund is quite different, yes you were paying that for future benefit on retirement.

Replied: 26th Mar 2022 at 09:20

Posted by: riocaroni (673)

I pay my 10 quid and feel it's value for money. When you work it out it's less than 20p per week surely everybody can afford that?

Replied: 26th Mar 2022 at 11:31
Last edited by riocaroni: 26th Mar 2022 at 11:32:21

Posted by: whups (13119) 

there,s no charge on trains & trams that are run by the state . they are private run that charge a fee . the winter fuel allowance started at £ 300 by labour & as soon as the torys got in the reduced it to £250 & i,d like to know wot that has to do with labour ? .also the torys privitised the blue badge which went up from £ 2 to a tenner .if you want to look at "perks" just look at the £4.5 billion of taxpayers money sunak has written off with his freinds & his wife benefiting from sham ppe companies & useless equipment.also putting up the retirment age for women from 60- - 66 depriving them of their pension , free prescriptions ,free bus pass & anything else they would have got . tell me owd codger is this due to labour ? .

Replied: 26th Mar 2022 at 11:35

Posted by: PeterP (11223)

Riocaroni if pensioners must pay this £10 or 20p a week why can 16-18 Yr olds not pay it also they spend more than that on their phones/ designer coffee/ KFC/ Mcdoogles

Replied: 26th Mar 2022 at 11:56

Posted by: Anne (4384) 

I don’t understand what/where is a state owned tram system in the uk. Explain please?

Replied: 26th Mar 2022 at 12:28

Posted by: Tommy Two Stroke (15202)

Anne

I think that all of the tram systems are state owned, via the local authorities that they are located in.

Replied: 26th Mar 2022 at 13:10

Posted by: Platty (2107)

PeterP: Agreed. Also, their parents/guardians get benefits for them. Child allowance, tax credits. These children have far, far more than we did when we were that age. The £10 p.a. for pensioners to use the trains in GM is a disgrace.

Anne: Blackpool trams are definitely owned/run by Blackpool Council and I'm pretty sure that TTS is correct about all the others, in fact I can't think of any private tram companies in the UK, maybe that one in the IOM.

Replied: 26th Mar 2022 at 13:34

Posted by: GOLDEN BEAR (6555) 

Just been reading these thread's, and the one's about pension's and some included pit pension contributions , to this day it makes my blood boil , and you may ask why well my father left school at 14 yrs and went working at Blundells at Pemberton one his first tasks was looking after the pit ponies , anyway i digress the facts are these he worked in the mines all his life contribution to the nation's output and paid into the pit pension's like everyone else ,alas at 59 yrs he could no longer work after contracting the dreaded pit disease ,Pneumoconiosis rated 95% ,He never got or shall i say lived long enough to draw his pension also his widow my mam also got sweet f.a. too my siblings all four of fought to try and get something but were denied /refused , so excuse me for not having any trust in any sort of pension's N.I . contribution's etc they are all a CON. GB .

Replied: 26th Mar 2022 at 13:39

Posted by: gaffer (7929) 

Whups

Blue badges can only be issued by local authorities or the Government. The blue badge scheme was introduced by Ted Heath’s government.
The retirement age is set by the government actuary on the basis of life expectancy. In the UK a man aged 65 now can expect to live to 87 and a woman 89. When the basic pension was introduced in 1948 life expectancy for a man in England was 66 and for a woman 70 years.
I’ve had many interesting chats on this topic with my brother in law who was an actuary throughout his career.

Replied: 26th Mar 2022 at 14:06

Posted by: Anne (4384) 

The reason I asked about tram systems being state owned was the statement by whups declaring state owned trains and trams having no charge. The only train service I recall being state owned is LNER.

Replied: 26th Mar 2022 at 14:17

Posted by: whups (13119) 

i know all that but when the torys came in at 2010 the 1st thing they did was to put the blue badge into private hands & it went from £2 to £10 in a matter of a month . i know because i have one & it,s not done by the council anymore . the only fee anyone will pay is by privately owned tram & rail like in manchester . i know there,s no fee in merseyside for busses . trains & even the ferry is free .

Replied: 26th Mar 2022 at 14:29

Posted by: tonker (27835) 

British railways are state owned. By foreign states.

Replied: 26th Mar 2022 at 14:31

Posted by: whups (13119) 

your quite right tonker .

Replied: 26th Mar 2022 at 14:33

Posted by: gaffer (7929) 

Whups

You could only have got a blue badge from St Helens Council or online on the Government website.
The blue badge charge in Scotland is £20.00. It's free in Wales.

Replied: 26th Mar 2022 at 16:26

Posted by: riocaroni (673)

PeterP I said EVERYBODY including teens could afford 20p a week. Also don't know about locals but blackpool trams are not free, no concessions you have to pay full fare!

Replied: 26th Mar 2022 at 16:41

Posted by: sonlyme (3350)

blue badge.10quid for four years isn't a fortune.My partner has one and i don't mind paying for the benefits it brings.

Replied: 26th Mar 2022 at 17:20

Posted by: PeterP (11223)

Sonlyme Blue badges last for 3 years not 4 years. We know they are worth it but again at one time I think they were FREE. We have always paid for the B/Badge

Replied: 26th Mar 2022 at 17:31

Posted by: Owd Codger (3013)

British Railways are not state controlled by our Government.

They operate on a franchise system with most of the railways services owned by foreign companies.

For example, the biggest rail freight operator is DB Cargo which is actually German State Railways and many of the passenger services are owned by other foreign investment from private companies like Aviva.

All of the rolling stock is bought from foreign countries like Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain as we no longer have our own railway workshops building railway stock because like other industries, they can be produced cheaper abroad.

Only Network Rail who owed the track, stations and signalling can be said to be British and even then, there is some foreign investment.

The choice is simple, you either have a railway system with foreign investment bringing our railways into a modern railway system or you have a nationalise system losing money hand over fist and out of date railway rolling stock which was was the case in our country for many years under both Tory and Labour Governments.

Replied: 27th Mar 2022 at 00:12
Last edited by Owd Codger: 27th Mar 2022 at 00:21:44

Posted by: whups (13119) 

iv,e got 1 & your forgetting medical exemptions which there are no age limit . owd codger there is no british rail anymore or have you forgot that your hero thatcher broke them all up ? . i can say there is no fee on merseyrail , busses or otherwise if you have a bus pass .

Replied: 27th Mar 2022 at 00:26

Posted by: whups (13119) 

alan we,ve had a chat about this & i think your claiming the wrong claim . if your old chap like mine was not given a pension for Pneumoconiosis you dont have a leg to stand on but if you go for chronic bronchitis & emphysema you,ll win your case hands down . dont think your the only 1 on here that,s gone thru that .

Replied: 27th Mar 2022 at 00:32

Posted by: gaffer (7929) 

Owd Codger

The railways are now owned by a state body, Great British Railways. Private sector operators can bid to run services for a given length of time but they don’t have ownership.

Replied: 27th Mar 2022 at 08:31

Posted by: Owd Codger (3013)

Gaffer

You are indeed correct as I had forgot that the railways now come under a state owned body called Great British Railways, but the actual running of passenger and freight services are still operated by private sector companies who like you have said, bid for a franchise to run a passenger and freight services and investment in high speed rail which has been light years behind other countries.

A system despite the fares on the passenger side has led to a more modern railway system far better than that of nationalisation which was a drain on our economy.

Replied: 27th Mar 2022 at 10:23

Posted by: Handsomeminer (2706)

Ow d git the privatised companies get far more money than BR ever got another of Thatcher great victories

Replied: 27th Mar 2022 at 22:34

Posted by: ena malcup (4151) 

Ah but that is giving taxpayers dosh to their mates and cronies - even to themselves via proxies. You can't expect them to heap the same opprobrium upon this activity as they do upon allowing public bodies to spend taxpayers money.

Replied: 27th Mar 2022 at 23:24

Posted by: broady (inactive)

Handsomeminer,
I bet your buddy gets more pension than I do. I was giving the Government £200 a week back in 1998 and get a fraction of that now. I suspect, and stand to be proven wrong, that he was on all types of disability payment for yonks. Can’t move here in Tenerife for Wigginers including lots of ex miners.

Replied: 28th Mar 2022 at 00:06

Posted by: Owd Codger (3013)

Handsomeminer

The last time prior to the ending of the loss making nationalisation, the railways were in private company hands was prior to 1948.

Thatcher did some bad things when she was in power, but the modernisation of our railways has been with private investment, most of which has been from abroad.

If the railways had continue to remain under Labours obsession of railway nationalisation, there would have been bigger losses and a system going further behind that of other countries.



Replied: 28th Mar 2022 at 01:11

Posted by: whups (13119) 

so they arnt ripping us off now are they ? . and yet another hypothetical about labour .you certainly have an obsessive hatred for labour .

Replied: 28th Mar 2022 at 01:15
Last edited by whups: 28th Mar 2022 at 01:17:46

Posted by: Handsomeminer (2706)

Hope you've had a great time broady and i am sure you will have????

Replied: 28th Mar 2022 at 07:37

Posted by: Owd Codger (3013)

Whups,

Not hatred, just one of the more sensible and hard working people who has seen the light.

We are not all sheep at election time!

Replied: 28th Mar 2022 at 09:35

Posted by: gaffer (7929) 

Replied: 28th Mar 2022 at 09:55

Posted by: whups (13119) 

yes they are asleep or the torys would,nt have got in . if you keep banging on about a certain subject there,s a certain hatred there & you bang on about the labour party in a incessant way .can you honestly say that we have flourished under the torys ? . they & their friends are the only ones who have while the rest of us are now back in dickensian times .wise up to wots going on laughing boy .

Replied: 28th Mar 2022 at 11:42

Posted by: Tommy Two Stroke (15202)

Whupsy

If Corbyn had won in, and lets say 2017, not 2019, which as regards this post, would have given the lad a chance to shine, so lets say he beat Theresa May in the 2017, so by the time Covid came along in 2020, Jeremy and his Labour Party had been in power for three years, which lets face it nearly happened in 2017, so if Jeremy had won, Jeremy would have had to deal with Covid, and two years later, the Russian invasion of Ukraine, so now Jeremy would have been in power for nearly five years, and facing a General Election in June, so how do you think he would have done, in that would the country, today on the 28th March 2022, how different would Britain have been now, if Labour had won in 2017.

Replied: 28th Mar 2022 at 12:02

Posted by: ena malcup (4151) 

Nah!

If Corbyn had won, Putin would have just had him 'Novichok-ed'.

He had invested far too much int tuther lot to deliver his agenda, to be thwarted if his interference in the elections had proven inadequate.

Replied: 28th Mar 2022 at 18:08

Posted by: whups (13119) 

1stroke you dont half put some crap on here . wot has corbyn got to do with anything & yet another hypothetical reply of no use whatsoever . if my aunty had s##nes she,d be my uncle . try harder pal .

Replied: 29th Mar 2022 at 11:40

 

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