Triple Lock for Pensioners . . . .

[Section Q]

Is anyone seriously against it . . . . ?

[inspector]

Absolutely not. We pensioners need more disposable income imho. Those Werthers Originals aren't getting any cheaper.😄

[Victorian]

It could possibly be reformed but should certainly still remain in a similar form to take account of the CPI element,  at least.  

[henrysmithsgloves]

43 minutes ago, inspector said:

Absolutely not. We pensioners need more disposable income imho. Those Werthers Originals aren't getting any cheaper.😄

[joondalupjambo]

54 minutes ago, inspector said:

Absolutely not. We pensioners need more disposable income imho. Those Werthers Originals aren't getting any cheaper.😄

Defo.  I need more cash so I can dump it into yet another ISA or long term fixed bond.  Spend you say, spend to help the economy. Nah us oldies are selfish 😄

[Fxxx the SPFL]

Triple lock, free bus pass, free hearing aids, free prescriptions, senior rail card, stopped paying NI Conts, season ticket concession, winter fuel payment £500 wonga that’s my first after turning 66 in May. Still working and paying too much tax. On the downside I keep pishing my pants, hearing getting worse so the wife says, memory not the best and I am turning into a grumpy barsteward again according to her indoors lol

[frankblack]

I work and pay my taxes so that when I ever get to retire these benefits are waiting for me.

 

People who have contributed their bit deserve benefits over those who are able and haven't.

 

The state pension is not great and should be increased if anything.

[Cade]

All benefits should be treated the same.

So all of them should be triple locked, or not.

 

I don't think the UK state pension (which is one of the worst in the developed Western world) should be reduced.

I do think that all benefits should be increased.

A rising tide lifts all ships.

 

You can argue for means testing if you believe the "massive tellies" myth, but that costs rather a lot to implement which would negate any savings, just to appease the perma-raging folk that "don't want my taxes being given to X,Y or Z groups".

And means testing would also mean that the well-off people enjoying their wee universal benefit bonuses would lose it, like the rich pensioners using their winter fuel cash as drinking money or the middle class families using their child benefit as holiday spending dosh, and they'd moan like feck if that got touched.

Means testing works both ways.

 

The UK spends £16 billion a year on housing benefit, which is feckin scandalous.

Housing benefit is nothing more or less than general taxation being used to subsidise landlord greed.

Scrap it, cap rental prices, save £16 billion a year and spend that cash on benefits that actually help the people receiving the benefit instead of further enriching greedy landlords.

And that includes the state pension, which as previously stated is one of the worst in the western world.

 

 

 

[The new West End]

34 minutes ago, **** the SPFL said:

Triple lock, free bus pass, free hearing aids, free prescriptions, senior rail card, stopped paying NI Conts, season ticket concession, winter fuel payment £500 wonga that’s my first after turning 66 in May. Still working and paying too much tax. On the downside I keep pishing my pants, hearing getting worse so the wife says, memory not the best and I am turning into a grumpy barsteward again according to her indoors lol

 

Free viagra?

[Fxxx the SPFL]

16 minutes ago, The new West End said:

 

Free viagra?

booger forgot about that ✏️

[Taffin]

The handout generation.

 

Grants, bursaries, final salary pensions, subsidised retirement flats, free public transport, discounts on everything.

 

The future pensioner will be much more self sufficient.

Edited November 22, 2023 by Taffin

[davemclaren]

2 hours ago, inspector said:

Absolutely not. We pensioners need more disposable income imho. Those Werthers Originals aren't getting any cheaper.😄

Agreed. 😄

[davemclaren]

12 minutes ago, Taffin said:

The handout generation.

 

Grants, bursaries, final salary pensions, subsidised retirement flats, free public transport, discounts on everything.

 

The future pensioner will be much more self sufficient.

Good luck. 👍😄

[cazzyy]

1 hour ago, Cade said:

All benefits should be treated the same.

So all of them should be triple locked, or not.

 

I don't think the UK state pension (which is one of the worst in the developed Western world) should be reduced.

I do think that all benefits should be increased.

A rising tide lifts all ships.

 

You can argue for means testing if you believe the "massive tellies" myth, but that costs rather a lot to implement which would negate any savings, just to appease the perma-raging folk that "don't want my taxes being given to X,Y or Z groups".

And means testing would also mean that the well-off people enjoying their wee universal benefit bonuses would lose it, like the rich pensioners using their winter fuel cash as drinking money or the middle class families using their child benefit as holiday spending dosh, and they'd moan like feck if that got touched.

Means testing works both ways.

 

The UK spends £16 billion a year on housing benefit, which is feckin scandalous.

Housing benefit is nothing more or less than general taxation being used to subsidise landlord greed.

Scrap it, cap rental prices, save £16 billion a year and spend that cash on benefits that actually help the people receiving the benefit instead of further enriching greedy landlords.

And that includes the state pension, which as previously stated is one of the worst in the western world.

 

 

 

 

Scrap housing benefit completely? Not sure that would work.

[frankblack]

27 minutes ago, Taffin said:

The handout generation.

 

Grants, bursaries, final salary pensions, subsidised retirement flats, free public transport, discounts on everything.

 

The future pensioner will be much more self sufficient.

 

Your post mixes employee benefits with government handouts.  Work related perks are earned. 

 

Final salary pension schemes are mostly a thing of the past to new entrants.

[Malinga the Swinga]

1 hour ago, Cade said:

All benefits should be treated the same.

So all of them should be triple locked, or not.

 

I don't think the UK state pension (which is one of the worst in the developed Western world) should be reduced.

I do think that all benefits should be increased.

A rising tide lifts all ships.

 

You can argue for means testing if you believe the "massive tellies" myth, but that costs rather a lot to implement which would negate any savings, just to appease the perma-raging folk that "don't want my taxes being given to X,Y or Z groups".

And means testing would also mean that the well-off people enjoying their wee universal benefit bonuses would lose it, like the rich pensioners using their winter fuel cash as drinking money or the middle class families using their child benefit as holiday spending dosh, and they'd moan like feck if that got touched.

Means testing works both ways.

 

The UK spends £16 billion a year on housing benefit, which is feckin scandalous.

Housing benefit is nothing more or less than general taxation being used to subsidise landlord greed.

Scrap it, cap rental prices, save £16 billion a year and spend that cash on benefits that actually help the people receiving the benefit instead of further enriching greedy landlords.

And that includes the state pension, which as previously stated is one of the worst in the western world.

 

 

 

Nah, the lazy and feckless who contribute nothing to society and live with their hand outstretched looking for freebies can go do one.

They don't deserve to be treated the same as those who worked all their lives and contribute to society

[H2]

57 minutes ago, Taffin said:

The handout generation.

 

Grants, bursaries, final salary pensions, subsidised retirement flats, free public transport, discounts on everything.

 

The future pensioner will be much more self sufficient.

Yep, handing out hand over fist to the next generation. But hey you believe what TikTok and your mobile phone tell you!

[Taffin]

Just now, frankblack said:

 

Your post mixes employee benefits with government handouts.  Work related perks are earned. 

 

Final salary pension schemes are mostly a thing of the past to new entrants.

 

And those generous perks were more earned than the those working now for less, aye?

 

It mixes the generous handouts that current pensioners got...whilst the gripe about how easy everyone else has it.

 

As for the bold...that was sort of my point.

[Taffin]

Just now, H2 said:

Yep, handing out hand over fist to the next generation. But hey you believe what TikTok and your mobile phone tell you!

 

😂😂😂

 

The epitome of the mindset I'm referencing. I've never even been on tiktok...too busy working to fund boomer pensions and bus passes.

 

Wrecking the planet, the economy and the housing market then blaming everyone else whilst saying "everything was better in my day". You bet it was.

[periodictabledancer]

3 hours ago, Section Q said:

Is anyone seriously against it . . . . ?

Yup. It should be means tested.

[GBJambo]

As long as they continue with this and all the benefits they get when I retire. 
 

Somehow I don’t think they will. 
 

 

[periodictabledancer]

45 minutes ago, cazzyy said:

 

Scrap housing benefit completely? Not sure that would work.

Housing benefit is a massive wealth redistribution - which Tories oppose- from public to private and from poor to rich.  It stokes inflation through maintaining ridiculously high rental incomes for private landlords. 

Edited November 22, 2023 by periodictabledancer

[frankblack]

10 minutes ago, Taffin said:

 

And those generous perks were more earned than the those working now for less, aye?

 

It mixes the generous handouts that current pensioners got...whilst the gripe about how easy everyone else has it.

 

As for the bold...that was sort of my point.

 

Pretty much is.  You generally don't get those jobs without extensive experience and skills.

 

There is no point using jealousy of others to justify your position.

[frankblack]

5 minutes ago, GBJambo said:

As long as they continue with this and all the benefits they get when I retire. 
 

Somehow I don’t think they will. 
 

 

 

They will probably keep pushing back the state retirement age to a date many won't live to.

[Taffin]

9 minutes ago, frankblack said:

 

Pretty much is.  You generally don't get those jobs without extensive experience and skills.

 

There is no point using jealousy of others to justify your position.

 

You've just said they don't exist to new entrants. Which is it? Earned or now not in existence?

 

I'm not jealous, I'm delighted not to be part of the softy handout generation. The newer generations are more like the great ones that went before, they have to actually graft for a decent standard of living.

Edited November 22, 2023 by Taffin

[cazzyy]

12 minutes ago, periodictabledancer said:

Housing benefit is a massive wealth redistribution - which Tories oppose- from public to private and from poor to rich.  It stokes inflation through maintaining ridiculously high rental incomes for private landlords. 

 

Yes but you can't do away with it completely and save £16b, if they could they would have already done it.

[frankblack]

Just now, Taffin said:

 

You've just said they don't exist to new entrants. Which is it? Earned or now not in existence?

 

I was referring to people having those jobs.  My previous point still stands.

 

Just now, Taffin said:

I'm not jealous, I'm delighted not to be part of the softy handout generation. The newer generations are most like the great ones that went before, they have to actually graft for a decent standard of living.

 

You have to work bloody hard to get and keep those jobs, with long hours expected.

[H2]

Just now, Taffin said:

 

😂😂😂

 

The epitome of the mindset I'm referencing. I've never even been on tiktok...too busy working to fund boomer pensions and bus passes.

 

Wrecking the planet, the economy and the housing market then blaming everyone else whilst saying "everything was better in my day". You bet it was.

PMSL, you stereotype  a generation then call someone for stereotying you; 

"You runined my childhood" boohoo, 
That chip on your shoulder must be weighing you down.

It's not the older generation who are casting blame.

[Taffin]

6 minutes ago, frankblack said:

 

I was referring to people having those jobs.  My previous point still stands.

 

 

You have to work bloody hard to get and keep those jobs, with long hours expected.

 

So you have to work hard with long hours to get final salary pensions that no longer exist?

 

Interesting 🤔

[Taffin]

8 minutes ago, H2 said:

PMSL, you stereotype  a generation then call someone for stereotying you; 

"You runined my childhood" boohoo, 
That chip on your shoulder must be weighing you down.

It's not the older generation who are casting blame.

 

[highlandjambo3]

1 hour ago, Taffin said:

The handout generation.

 

Grants, bursaries, final salary pensions, subsidised retirement flats, free public transport, discounts on everything.

 

The future pensioner will be much more self sufficient.

I’ve been getting an Army pension since I left at 40……does this mean I was a pensioner at 40 or does it only count when I hit state pension age 🤷‍♂️

[Cade]

34 minutes ago, cazzyy said:

 

Yes but you can't do away with it completely and save £16b, if they could they would have already done it.

 

They could, but they don't want to.

Using taxes to keep rents inflated also means that it makes housing prices inflated as they are desirable investments and the entire UK economy is built on a housing bubble and has been for about 40 years.

It's essentially a way of fudging the economic figures and enriching themselves at the same time (almost all MPs are landlords to varying degrees)

[cazzyy]

2 minutes ago, Cade said:

 

They could, but they don't want to.

Using taxes to keep rents inflated also means that it makes housing prices inflated as they are desirable investments and the entire UK economy is built on a housing bubble and has been for about 40 years.

It's essentially a way of fudging the economic figures and enriching themselves at the same time (almost all MPs are landlords to varying degrees)

 

They couldn't. Housing benefit would still have to be paid. Even if rents were universally dropped by 10% they would still need to spend £14.4billion so the saving would be £1.6billion not £16billion.

 

I agree with your reasoning though, housing is a scandal.

[scott herbertson]

I'm against it

 

I'm a pensioner

 

I think it should be linked only to CPI

 

We are creating a huge problem for the future by increasing pensions more than incomes of working people. There are going to be more and more pensioners and less and less working people over the next few years.

 

So we will be left with far less money for services (so for example the price of care will rise as there is a smaller workforce) but wealthier pensioners many of whom  (including me couldn't manage without the rise)

 

A better idea would be to fix pensions at CPI rises per annum and focus tax cuts on raising the basic allowance which would give poorer people, including pensioners without additional income sources, more money to spend on basics and local services.

 

 

Edited November 22, 2023 by scott herbertson

[John Findlay]

3 hours ago, **** the SPFL said:

Triple lock, free bus pass, free hearing aids, free prescriptions, senior rail card, stopped paying NI Conts, season ticket concession, winter fuel payment £500 wonga that’s my first after turning 66 in May. Still working and paying too much tax. On the downside I keep pishing my pants, hearing getting worse so the wife says, memory not the best and I am turning into a grumpy barsteward again according to her indoors lol

Pardon!

[frankblack]

47 minutes ago, Taffin said:

 

So you have to work hard with long hours to get final salary pensions that no longer exist?

 

Interesting 🤔

 

Nope.

 

I can see you are having difficulty understanding plain English but don't try and misquote me to dig yourself out of your hole.

[Taffin]

11 minutes ago, frankblack said:

 

Nope.

 

I can see you are having difficulty understanding plain English but don't try and misquote me to dig yourself out of your hole.

 

So what of the benefits I listed is it that you need to work hard and long hours for and is still in existence?

[neilnunb]

They need to sort out these WASPI women. It's ridiculous that some women don't get the full pension because of the year they were born...

 

As my mother is one of them it's affecting my inheritance! 

 

😁

[hmfcbilly]

1 hour ago, frankblack said:

 

They will probably keep pushing back the state retirement age to a date many won't live to.

Certainly seems that way

[joondalupjambo]

17 minutes ago, neilnunb said:

They need to sort out these WASPI women. It's ridiculous that some women don't get the full pension because of the year they were born...

 

As my mother is one of them it's affecting my inheritance! 

 

😁

My son says the same thing in relation to his Mum 🙂

 

They are sorting it but perhaps it could be said that the Pensions Department are deliberately taking years to do it.  Folk that were due their pension 9 / 10 years ago are dropping off like flies so when there is finally a settlement there will be much fewer number left to pay out to.  Latest I read somewhere was that lump sum, one off payments are being considered as the best option, no back payments at all and it would only be the recipient who was affected that got it.  If they have passed by the time of any agreement then hard lines and also no payments to any remaining family.   I think, only my view is that part of the delay could be the WASPI campaigners are fighting hard for back payments and so not just the UK Government causing the delay.

 

 

[ScotsAndy]

3 hours ago, Taffin said:

The handout generation.

 

Grants, bursaries, final salary pensions, subsidised retirement flats, free public transport, discounts on everything.

 

The future pensioner will be much more self sufficient.

What slightly undermines your angst is the scattergun approach you have taken on your examples  - final Salary Pension Schemes for instance although more prevalent 20 plus years ago by no means were universal and you also have to bear in mind recipients had much lower life expectancy.  In fact one of the main reasons for their demise was increasing Life expectancy and therefore higher cost. So you could actually trade off the benefit for the advantage of people living longer.  Free Public Transport is a Universal benefit so you could argue it benefitting all  - not just the wealthy (cost of means testing probably prohibitive). Some of other items mentioned such as Grants and Discounts are not purely old age related and bound to be some aimed at younger demographics not available to Pensioners  - so overall your argument/gripes seem somewhat ill thought out and non applicable generally.

[davemclaren]

15 minutes ago, joondalupjambo said:

My son says the same thing in relation to his Mum 🙂

 

They are sorting it but perhaps it could be said that the Pensions Department are deliberately taking years to do it.  Folk that were due their pension 9 / 10 years ago are dropping off like flies so when there is finally a settlement there will be much fewer number left to pay out to.  Latest I read somewhere was that lump sum, one off payments are being considered as the best option, no back payments at all and it would only be the recipient who was affected that got it.  If they have passed by the time of any agreement then hard lines and also no payments to any remaining family.   I think, only my view is that part of the delay could be the WASPI campaigners are fighting hard for back payments and so not just the UK Government causing the delay.

 

 

Any compensation will be minimal imo. 

[JudyJudyJudy]

4 hours ago, **** the SPFL said:

Triple lock, free bus pass, free hearing aids, free prescriptions, senior rail card, stopped paying NI Conts, season ticket concession, winter fuel payment £500 wonga that’s my first after turning 66 in May. Still working and paying too much tax. On the downside I keep pishing my pants, hearing getting worse so the wife says, memory not the best and I am turning into a grumpy barsteward again according to her indoors lol

😂😂😂

[JudyJudyJudy]

4 hours ago, **** the SPFL said:

Triple lock, free bus pass, free hearing aids, free prescriptions, senior rail card, stopped paying NI Conts, season ticket concession, winter fuel payment £500 wonga that’s my first after turning 66 in May. Still working and paying too much tax. On the downside I keep pishing my pants, hearing getting worse so the wife says, memory not the best and I am turning into a grumpy barsteward again according to her indoors lol

😂😂😂

[davemclaren]

Clever ploy to increase the pension by the triple lock amount then claw some of it back from most by not raising the tax threshold but reducing NI rates.  

[1953]

53 minutes ago, neilnunb said:

They need to sort out these WASPI women. It's ridiculous that some women don't get the full pension because of the year they were born...

 

As my mother is one of them it's affecting my inheritance! 

 

😁

My wife is one of them too, so I'll happily take my triple lock payment thanks. 

[The Real Maroonblood]

This Government will class it as a handout.

[the posh bit]

1 hour ago, scott herbertson said:

 

We are creating a huge problem for the future by increasing pensions more than incomes of working people. There are going to be more and more pensioners and less and less working people over the next few years.

 

That's why we need more immigration. Send they wee boats up to Granton Harbour! 

[periodictabledancer]

2 hours ago, cazzyy said:

 

Yes but you can't do away with it completely and save £16b, if they could they would have already done it.

 

Half of all UK welfare spending is on pensions (despite the fact it's the lowest pension in W Europe) and there 's many billions to be saved by means testing it. 

[joondalupjambo]

43 minutes ago, davemclaren said:

Any compensation will be minimal imo. 

Yeah they are banding about 5k which when you think my wife missed out on circa £7k per annum for 9 years it is not a lot.

 

https://www.ombudsman.org.uk/complaints-womens-state-pension-age

 

Funnily enough this was updated yesterday with the latest decisions by the ombudsman.

Edited November 22, 2023 by joondalupjambo