Page 13 | AIBU to think that I shouldn't have bothered working and paying into National Insurance for the 35 years I have done so?

HauntedBungalow · 2024-07-30T19:38:39+00:00

When all I will get is the bare State Pension. Whereas other people who did not make these contributions and/or did not work will get Pension Credit plus all the other nice little add ons like Council Tax Support, free boilers and now Winter Fuel Allowance? AIBU to think I'm a mug for bothering to work all those years?

suburburban · 30/07/2024 22:28

Zanatdy · 30/07/2024 21:22

It’s incredibly frustrating sometimes. My mum will lose her winter fuel payment, meanwhile ex MIL who has all her savings in her son’s bank account (over 150k due sale of land in her country of origin) gets pension credit and all the benefits that brings. Two of her son’s pay her bills and they never paid any tax or NI in the years they lived in the U.K. as ex FIL was self employed and just never declared any income. Makes you wonder doesn’t it, why you work so hard (she has never worked, ever).

I find that awful

Does she not have any conscience that she is being dishonest and her sons too for that matter

Despair1 · 30/07/2024 22:28

Thanks for sharing your story. I do believe that there are many genuine people who need support and should never be in a position of living in poverty or without care and dignity. However, I know so many people who are playing the system and seeing benefits as their life long entitlement, no intention of coming off benefits, the people who I am referring to are experts at what they are entitled to. I am in awe at some of the conversations that i have been privvy to.
How can you afford to go on holiday if you are on UC and only work afew hours a week.
I could go on but enough said.
I totally support those who genuinely need help.

MyNameIsFine · 30/07/2024 22:27

MereDintofPandiculation · 30/07/2024 20:54

Apart from the winter fuel allowance (less than £4 a week) the pension credit situation has been the same since it started. We’ve had 14 years of a Conservative government. Are they Socialist?

Show quote history

Here we go again with the 'only x per week' argument. That's £16 per month.

Acapulco12 · 30/07/2024 22:26

DoreenonTill8 · 30/07/2024 22:24

So we shouldn't have to start paying it till 33 then?

Show quote history

I think you know what I mean. You or @HauntedBungalow asked when you stop paying NI - you stop paying it at state pension age.

DoreenonTill8 · 30/07/2024 22:26

caringcarer · 30/07/2024 22:23

No you have to.keep on paying.

Show quote history

Yay, what fun! And how lucky are we to get to do this.

BlueLimeRun · 30/07/2024 22:26

WhereIsBebèsChambre · 30/07/2024 21:11

100% this. And we're meant to hear about people like your neighbours and say 'gosh, lucky me to get to work and support these people to make sure they're happy and get what they want!'

Show quote history

I absolutely agree - it’s really disheartening.

DoreenonTill8 · 30/07/2024 22:24

Acapulco12 · 30/07/2024 22:15

We stop paying NI at state pension age @HauntedBungalow and @DoreenonTill8

Show quote history

So we shouldn't have to start paying it till 33 then?

caringcarer · 30/07/2024 22:23

DoreenonTill8 · 30/07/2024 20:45

This, and by the time I retire the state pension will only be for those who've never contributed. And our private work pensions will be taxed again no doubt! Do we stop having to pay ni after 35 years contributions?

Show quote history

No you have to.keep on paying.

SiobhanTheGoblin · 30/07/2024 22:23

This reply has been withdrawn

This message has been withdrawn at the poster's request

westisbest1982 · 30/07/2024 22:22

My leeching bastard brother is another one who plays the system and has done for years. No, he doesn’t go on nice holidays, rarely goes out socially - he has little disposable ‘income’ - but as long as he has a roof over his head that he doesn’t have to pay for that’s all he gives a shit about. The benefits system needs an overhaul, and regular means tested social housing eligibility should happen (but won’t).

MereDintofPandiculation · 30/07/2024 22:22

ByCupidStunt · 30/07/2024 20:58

When? When was the old state pension 25% less than the new one?

Show quote history

The basic rate of the old state pension is £169, the new one is £229. That's 26% less. There's all sorts of complications about earnings-related additions etc which means what any individual gets may be more or less than either of these amounts.

The new state pension was designed to be more than the old one in order to take people out of means testing, ie pension credit. The argument was that the introduction of auto enrolment would mean that in the future people would have private pensions to supplement their income, so the fact they were now barred from all the benefits that hang off pension credit would not be a problem.

Peeler55 · 30/07/2024 22:22

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

SiobhanTheGoblin · 30/07/2024 22:22

This reply has been withdrawn

This message has been withdrawn at the poster's request

take10yearsofmylife · 30/07/2024 22:21

runrabbitruns · 30/07/2024 21:58

A close family member lives modestly on benefits. She does not have amazing holidays or flashy cars but she is also not too ill to work. I would never report her as I love her and it is not her fault that the system is so flawed but she is not ashamed of the fact that she plays the system.

She is not ashamed because many of her friends do the same. It's so naive to think that because we would never do this, that other people would not think twice.

Many don't feel ashamed because we normalise this behaviour, we encourage people to seek for entitlement instead of contributing to our society.

letsjustdothis · 30/07/2024 22:20

I think you've been mugged off by your employer/s because you've not had anything to set aside. Did you not keep switching jobs to increase your salary? I changed mine every couple of years since I couldn't get an internal payrise.

Acapulco12 · 30/07/2024 22:15

HauntedBungalow · 30/07/2024 20:46

Do we stop having to pay ni after 35 years contributions?

I fucking wish

We stop paying NI at state pension age @HauntedBungalow and @DoreenonTill8

SiobhanTheGoblin · 30/07/2024 22:15

This reply has been withdrawn

This message has been withdrawn at the poster's request

fiddleleaffig · 30/07/2024 22:12

HauntedBungalow · 30/07/2024 20:49

It may be a lady who was widowed young and spent her life bringing up kids and grandkids

I fucking brought my kids up alone. I sure as shit wish now that I hadn't worked while doing so, for all the fucking good it's done me. It's just going to cost me once I'm no longer able to work is all it will do.

Your logic doesn't follow. Claiming child benefit counts towards your 35years contributions, so you could still get full state pension, never having worked a day in your life, as long as you spread your kids out well enough so you could claim child benefit (one at 16, one at 28 and one at 39 would do the trick).

Despair1 · 30/07/2024 22:10

runrabbitruns · 30/07/2024 21:58

A close family member lives modestly on benefits. She does not have amazing holidays or flashy cars but she is also not too ill to work. I would never report her as I love her and it is not her fault that the system is so flawed but she is not ashamed of the fact that she plays the system.

She is not ashamed because many of her friends do the same. It's so naive to think that because we would never do this, that other people would not think twice.

Spot on

ll09sm · 30/07/2024 22:07

You are not wrong OP. The more responsibility you take for yourself, the more you get shafted. While the reckless get freebies all over the place.

julydecember · 30/07/2024 22:04

blame the greedy landlords who buy up all the properties and put people in poverty with their rent payments (which the public purse pays for via rent top ups). blame the low wage employers who refuse to pay a decent wage. blame tories and thatcher.

Julen7 · 30/07/2024 21:59

WhereIsBebèsChambre · 30/07/2024 21:58

Noooo labour want to have their voters keep voting for them, the champagne socialists, who are smugly 'doing good' from their protected enclaves, and the work shy, benefit dependants.
Labour abhor those who actually would have been proper Labour, the hard working tax payer and see them as a cash cow to be ridiculed for their stupidity.

Show quote history

This I’m afraid

saveforthat · 30/07/2024 21:59

Kitkat1523 · 30/07/2024 21:33

theres no pension credit with the new state pension….only for people on the old one

Show quote history

Pension credit is for anyone on old or new SP. It's possible to have the new state pension but not the full one because of missing NI contributions.

WhereIsBebèsChambre · 30/07/2024 21:58

midgetastic · 30/07/2024 21:48

Labour want to redistribute wealth from the very rich to the very poor and less well off

Kind of like Robin Hood

If you would rather the Tory approach of taking from the poor to give to the rich - your can but don't expect any respect from me

I don't want children in poverty struggling to get a decent meal , their life chances blighted by their parents lack of wealth - shame on you if you don't care for them

Noooo labour want to have their voters keep voting for them, the champagne socialists, who are smugly 'doing good' from their protected enclaves, and the work shy, benefit dependants.
Labour abhor those who actually would have been proper Labour, the hard working tax payer and see them as a cash cow to be ridiculed for their stupidity.

PerfectYear321 · 30/07/2024 21:58

IMustDoMoreExercise · 30/07/2024 21:13

Well, people are now realising what they have voted for.

Unfortunately, the last government were too incompetent so people voted for change. But at least they rewarded work and saving.

Labour needs all the people on benefits to keep voting for them, so they will not care about wokers (unless they work in the public sector).

Show quote history

Genuine question: how did the Tories reward work?