Calis Beach and Fethiye Turkey Discussion Forum
General Topics => All things that have nothing to do with Turkey => Topic started by: Rimms on April 29, 2013, 08:22:58 AM
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I see the government are now considering removing some benefits for what they term 'Rich Pensioners' things like winter fuel allowance, bus pass & TV licence subsidy. They don't however go on to describe what level of income constitutes a 'rich' pensioner.
For me, this is the tip of the iceberg leading up to means testing the old age pension. Once again, if you make benefits your lifestyle choice rather than getting out of bed and working, you retain your old age benefits, if you develop a condition in old age that requires full time or nursing home care, your home will be safe if you have spent your life living off the tax payer.
I don't know about you but I don't particularly need these benefits but I want to receive them, I'm sick of being penalised for working hard, being financially prudent and making major lifestyle decisions like the number of children we have based upon our ability to afford them.
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Distribution of wealth, perhaps we should spread this idea further.
MP's who are wealthy should not accept their salaries. Those who don't need it, give it back.
The living wage is a good idea. Companies earning XXXXXX's in profits should pay their staff a living wage so the tax payer don't need to top up their wages with tax credits
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Well said Rimms.
;D
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Quite agree George! We are being penalised already - a lot of people may not be aware of this but due to the fact that women born between 1950 - 1955 are gradually being moved from old age pension age of 60 to 65, this also affects the qualifying age for bus passes & heating allowance. You no longer qualify at age 60 (men & women) for these things automatically - I turned 60 last year and won't qualify for them until I'm 63 - Chris turns 60 this month and not only has to wait until shes 63 for her pension but also for her bus pass as well! Mind you - the way things are going they will have got rid of these pension perks by the time we qualify!
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Born in 55, I've received a letter to say I cannot claim my pension until I'm 66.
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Without blowing my own trumpet here the financial services industry have been telling people for years that the old age pension could not survive as it was. People are not only living longer but more people are living longer and claiming state pension. People always hit back saying that they were paying NI to cover it but basically the NI you pay today goes to pay someone's pension tomorrow. There never was any investment of your NI contributions.
It's pretty obvious that unless there are enough people working and contributing to NI then the state pension system will have to change or collapse totally.
It sucks I know - and even those who took advice and contributed to personal schemes or company schemes have found that the recession has hit their investment/company scheme.
Expect more of the same and state pension age to get later and later as we live longer and longer.
There endeth the negativity of the day ....... it's sunny and I've just cut the grass :)
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Which all goes to prove what a farce the whole system is! Do this do that pay into this pay into that and at the end of the day we are all screwed. All condoned by successive governments and the biggest joke of all the Financial Services Industry - which according to Cameron and I quote "is something we do well" (hysterical laughter thingy) is robbing us blind with their lies and treachery. Daylight bloomin' robbery and the worst crime of all we all sit on our arses and let this happen.
Rant over (furious face thingy)
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I agree with you, it really annoys me and to be honest, it's seems such a soft target, if you look at a woman loosing the pension payment between the age of 60 and 65 it's something in the region of £30,000, you would think there would be uproar? I was born in 54 and haven't heard that I have to wait another year past 65 but I'm not holding my breath!
Like Nichola said, you follow the advice of successive governments, invest in pensions and expect certain returns and now you find those same governments dismantling your hard earned financial plan.
Lets just set aside this word 'benefit', as far as Im concerned, I've paid for my bus pass, my winter fuel allowance, and paid all the contributions required to earn my old age pension, so I don't see how something bought and paid for becomes a benefit? But of course it suits the government to classify these as benefits, which implies they are giving you something for nothing at their discretion.
I don't have a problem with a benefits system that acts as a short term safety net for people who find themselves with an unexpected change of circumstances or a system that supports the genuinely disabled, but we have something a million miles away from that, how on earth can we accept that we are now allowing a third generation to make benefits their lifestyle choice and live off the back of the tax payer.
Maybe I'm just becoming far too cynical in my old age or maybe it's because many of my friends and family have worked directly for, or been directly linked through their employment to various benefit and social agencies and I've heard at first hand too many stories of blatant abuse and downright fraud. Let me give you an example, earlier this week I'm listening to a discussion on the radio about the so called bedroom tax. A worker from a one stop shop called in to say that when a person reaches 18, a small proportion of that households benefit is removed to make a contribution to rent and council tax, they went on to explain that more often than not, these 18 year olds mysteriously disappear from the home which avoids the benefit reduction. Apparently, over the past weeks these people have suddenly turned up in their droves living back in the family home, it seems that small rent and tax contribution is much less that the housing benefit reduction that will be imposed for spare bedrooms!
As far as I'm concerned, if the government want to carry on supporting these dodgers then that's fine, if they want to provide benefits, healthcare, housing and schooling to all of those that have never paid a brass farthing into the system, then that's perfectly fine as well, but don't do it at my expense after working for 42 years without drawing a penny in benefit and still paying tax each month into a system where I'm not even afforded basic healthcare.
Rant, also over !
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Raff my sister turned 60 in March and she has been given a bus pass.
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I was born in 54 and haven't heard that I have to wait another year past 65 but I'm not holding my breath!
I was born in June 54 and my pension age changed from 60 to 64 and 3 months. It has now changed to March 2020 when I will be 65 and 9 months. Who knows if an when I will actually get it!
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And what can you do about that Liz? A loss of 6 years leisure and around £35,000 wiped out overnight
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Fran - where does your sister live?
The information below is taken from Essex County Councils website. Sorry -it wouldn't let me copy the eligibility calculator but for my date of birth (26.5.52) I will get my bus pass on 5.5.2014 when I'm 62 and Chris (25.5.53) will get hers on 5.5.2016 when shes 63. I can't say its the same for all councils but our friends who live in Lancs say its the same for them.
"Older people become eligible at the female age of retirement. If you were born before 6 April 1950 you are eligible for a concessionary pass.
If you were born between 7 April 1950 and the 5 April 1955 please use the eligibility calculator below to help you work out when you will become eligible for a pass.
On 29 November 2011 the government announced the increase from 66 to 67 will be bought forward from 2034 to 2026. People born on or after 6 April 1960 but before 6 April 1961 will have a State Pension age between 66 and 67. People born on or after 6 April 1961 will have a State Pension age of 67 or higher. This proposed change is not expected to be finalised until the end of 2012 or the beginning of 2013. Because this is a proposal and not law, this calculator is based on the current law and does not take the proposed changes into account."
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Raff she lives on the Wirral.
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Raff she lives on the Wirral.
Probably nicked her big sisters then. ;)
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Ha ha, she's the eldest, so there.
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Can I just say, I live in Liverpool. I was 60 in February and I can get my bus pass at any time I want to, but I will only be issued with a bus pass to get me around Liverpool. I will have to wait until January 6th 2016 before I get my State Pension and after that I will be automatically issued with a bus pass that covers all the local areas that those who have one now can visit free of charge with. So I think it is actually a matter of what your Local Authority decides what you are entitled to. But couldn't agree more with Rimms, the thought of working for another 3 years is such a depressive one, especially as they are living the dream, so envy them. Hope to join them sooner rather than later but will be with them in June, so lot too long to go now.
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Me too Born May 1954 and totally p...d off that I now have to work another almost six years than originally expected. Not fair, not fair!!! I have women working with me that retired at 60 claimed pension,works pension and don't now pay National insurance, meaning they have more than me as a manager ! Reduced their hours still working .... Great is it not . I am afraid for those born around the mid 50s there will be no such perks, even though we will have worked longer.
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What I would like to know is how the local authority in Merseyside can afford to give the over 60's local bus passes when the rest of the country have to wait until retirement age for the National Bus pass? I think I will be making enquiries with Essex County Council or maybe Ian Duncan Smith can answer that one! : :)
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Maybe it is to do with the political make up of the different local authority councils and the priorities they afford to the people that live within them :)
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The bus pass is a far less issue though than the pensionable age issue. I am only 47 but by the time I get near retirement age it will be set much higher again i am sure.
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I should have retired in less than 2 years and now its nearer 8 - tell you what, it depresses me! :-[
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Just heard the headline on the radio news this morning "UK to stop paying state pensions to pensioners living abroad"
I can't wait to hear the full details
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I hope you misheard that news item Rimms. I'm off to get extra loo roll in case you didn't! ??? : :) :'( ??? :( ;D
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No I didn't John, but I think you can relax. If you are a British citizen by way of marriage and have not made pension contributions or paid tax, they will stop the state pension to this group in 2016,
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Thank you Rimms !
I hope your initial post on the stoppage hasn't been fed in to the rumour mill ;D ;D ;D ;)
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Totally agree with this policy if the story is correct, why should anyone be able to receive a pension from the UK base on marriage without contributing to the system.
Their are more similar examples that should be looked at.
Doug
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Part of an overhaul of the State Pension.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-22423878
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I,m wondering if this will be the same for British women who were married to a British man, but now live abroad or vice versa.
Definately will need looking into before I make any decisions about moving.
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As long as they have paid into NI their should be no problem
Doug
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