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

That’s why the system needs a thorough overhaul

Indeed it needs a complete overhaul , I think many if not most on this thread are agreed the whole welfare system in general needs to be made more fair - and work must pay more.

Something has to give because a lot of hardworking people increasingly feel they are getting very little for what they put in, compared to some people who just continually take. And then there are people who genuinely fall on hard times and somehow slip through the net and can barely get a scrap of help.

True that she's not doing anything illegal or fraudulent. But, just because it's not illegal, doesn't mean it's not immoral.
For one person to live in a giant house that she didn't work for, and to then get handouts and loads of freebies, when others are working, or did work, every hour for years and years, with little to show for it and no freebies; well, it's not moral. It's not being a good citizen.
Life is give and take, not just take.

Not if the government taxes the private pension and reduces the state fir those with other means. What's yours is only yours if the state graciously allows you to keep it.

Well, I would have got a lot of perks if I had just sat on my bum making out that looking after a home, 2 kids etc was actually a job.

But, it was my choice not to do that, so, now, because of private pensions/full state pension, I get nothing extra.

The positive side is that I don’t have to justify state handouts, and I’m not subject to different government policies. What I get is mine,

How lovely for the gloating pair! That’s why the system needs a thorough overhaul.

@coolpineapple1 your employer must be paying into a private pension? or are you self employed? it’s worth putting in even the tiniest amount so you can benefit from what your employer or the govt puts in

Where's your money?
The money that you paid in was used to buy stocks and shares etc, the value of those stocks and shares can go up or down.

Any form of investment in the stock market is a risk and a gamble. Which is what all forms of insurance do. It's why it says in the small print that returns are estimates and cannot be guaranteed. It works for the mega wealthy who can spread money over many such institutions because by the law of averages profit can be made and losses offset or absorbed. For those who can only afford a small amount in one or two areas, the risk is considerably higher.

Absolutely agree with you OP. I'm a single parent, worked all my adult life. In my 40s and know I should be paying into a private pension but just can't afford it. I've resigned myself to the fact I will never retire and work until I drop.
Very different to my parents generation.

https://www.fscs.org.uk/what-we-cover/pensions/stolen-pension/

Unless you have a state pension (teacher, nurse) your money might not be as safe as you think.

https://www.theguardian.com/media/greenslade/2011/nov/03/pressandpublishing-daily-mirror

Sorry excuse my ignorance but how can a pension provider just go bust?? That’s ludicrous especially when youve been paying in. Wheres your money? Are people just expected to roll over and say oh well…

I don't what anybody to have nothing.

I think those that have paid the full 35 years' worth should not get the same or even less that those who have paid less. They should get the most.

I accept that I have been physically fit enough for my entire working life so I should -and have- gone out to work.

However my full NI record has come with a shit load of dragging my arse out of bed at 6.00 am.

You're fine topping up people that work full time? Which benefits employers and keeps wages low while shareholders, CEOs and politicians suck up as much profit as they can, raising the prices of the basics and pitting us all against each other for scraps?

You my friend are part of the problem.

They’re not grateful. They’re entitled, in many cases. Absolutely fine with topping up poorly paid people who work FT, no issues there whatsoever. Not happy to pay for people to choose to work PT or desperately evade work using any excuse possible. While gaslighting us WE are the lucky ones lol

Then I think those that haven't paid much should be grateful for the over 40 years' of NI that many of us have paid!

No one would be forcing to you to sell... that would be your circumstances making you do so. Would you feel it acceptable that you would have to sell the home you live in before you could claim UC?
Because suggesting that someone must sell their home before they can claim pension credit is the same.

They should sell it. If I was struggling financially I would have to sell my house and move my children out of their home. Why should this be any different?

How is person A taking the piss? She is doing nothing wrong, and is not claiming anything fraudulently. No one is required to sell the home they live in to fund their pension. That would be a very dangerous path to go down... it could be UC claimants next.
Her selling her house and living off the proceeds would not make person B situation any better either.

The problem is with the system and the cut off, not the people claiming.

Paying NI provides a social safety net for others. It is a tax. If you would rather all the OAPs currently on state pension had nothing then...

Private pensions are your own private savings pot.

Yes it doesn't seem quite right especially if they are not paying council tax

You see I've thought about this - the extravagantly-housed woman I know who receives pension credit, gets about £218 a week. She doesn't have to pay rent or a mortgage. Nor does she have to pay council tax.
A minimum wage worker who also pays rent and council tax would have far less left over than £218 after those two things are paid. I'm self-employed. A choice of course, so not complaining. But, my income varies, and I often earn very little, and have outgoings. Honestly I would feel quite well off if I had £218 left over every week after rent etc paid.

I think the two things are kind of the same.
I definitely agree that all the add-ons make pension credit recipients better off than those who just miss out. But, I do think the situation we've highlighted is part of that whole unfair system too. Definitely woman a is better off (overall) than woman b, as woman a has an option to free up masses of cash which woman b doesn't. Woman a doesn't have to pay council tax, woman b does. I do also think that it matters that woman b worked like a trojan in exhausting low paid jobs for years! She deserves a comfortable rest. Woman a has largely been a lady of leisure most of her life, and now gets everything paid for her, when she's got the option to make a living on her huge house. Woman a is taking the piss!

Ha- I’ll be 68 and probably in such poor health due to the workload that by the time I d retire I’ll have no quality of life. The old NHS pension yes- now no chance.