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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To worry about how the heck my public sector pension is going to pay out when I'm old given that the UK almost certainly won't exist by then

141 replies

CurdinHenry · 18/09/2026 15:56

How are the different nations going to agree this I don't want to be a poor old lady damnit

Suppose I'd better start putting more into the private pension too

Also my bit of the UK had better bloody well join the EU early doors

OP posts:
P00hsticks · 18/09/2026 16:29

Gallowayan · 18/09/2026 16:25

Well, leaving made us worse off!! Scotland will certainly apply to join the EU if we ever manage to get out of the UK.

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But would the EU accept Scotland ?

Original poster
CurdinHenry · 18/09/2026 16:30

bingobangs · 18/09/2026 16:17

Well how long do you have left working? I am sure state pensions will be means tested in the future or only available from age 70 but not much you can do about it now.

Public sector pensions aren't the state pension

OP posts:
GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 18/09/2026 16:30

What we need to do is rejoin the EU before the individual nations go independent (if they do, and if NI joins the Republic of Ireland)

Would make it all more straightforward!

Also this would prevent eg russia benefitting from the break up, which outside the EU basically blows one of their main opponent nations out of the water.

Original poster
CurdinHenry · 18/09/2026 16:31

P00hsticks · 18/09/2026 16:29

But would the EU accept Scotland ?

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Yes, obviously

OP posts:
Original poster
CurdinHenry · 18/09/2026 16:31

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 18/09/2026 16:30

What we need to do is rejoin the EU before the individual nations go independent (if they do, and if NI joins the Republic of Ireland)

Would make it all more straightforward!

Also this would prevent eg russia benefitting from the break up, which outside the EU basically blows one of their main opponent nations out of the water.

Agree with this

OP posts:
FKAT · 18/09/2026 16:32

Also I don't really understand the logic behind 'we want to destroy the Union but also can the Union still pay for all our benefits?'

InOverMyHead84 · 18/09/2026 16:32

Wait, are we being annexed by Russia or something?

Might have something to say about that.

kentgardens · 18/09/2026 16:37

I think the one thing that is certain in the doomsday scenarios being forecast is that the EU will never never agree to parts of the UK rejoining. If Scotland , or anywhere else leaves the UK and then applies to join the EU as an independent state then all the existing countries in the EU have to agree. Can anyone see Spain with its own internal devolution issues agreeing to that? Or Italy? The EU sent Nicola Sturgeon away with a flea in her ear when she lobbied them after the Brexit vote. I do wish people had a bit more of a grip on reality sometimes.

Original poster
CurdinHenry · 18/09/2026 16:38

kentgardens · 18/09/2026 16:37

I think the one thing that is certain in the doomsday scenarios being forecast is that the EU will never never agree to parts of the UK rejoining. If Scotland , or anywhere else leaves the UK and then applies to join the EU as an independent state then all the existing countries in the EU have to agree. Can anyone see Spain with its own internal devolution issues agreeing to that? Or Italy? The EU sent Nicola Sturgeon away with a flea in her ear when she lobbied them after the Brexit vote. I do wish people had a bit more of a grip on reality sometimes.

This is an utterly 2014 argument

Bosnia is in the EU

Czechia and Slovakia are in the EU

Spain is officially pro Palestinian independence

OP posts:
Original poster
CurdinHenry · 18/09/2026 16:40

FKAT · 18/09/2026 16:32

Also I don't really understand the logic behind 'we want to destroy the Union but also can the Union still pay for all our benefits?'

I want to be independent from Brexit mentality and Nigel Farage types but I recognise that my pension is at risk is the point of this thread

Wish we could all declare independence from dunces and send them to a far away place

OP posts:
FKAT · 18/09/2026 16:40

But not Basque independence heh?

pavillion1 · 18/09/2026 16:41

CurdinHenry · 18/09/2026 16:11

🤣 phew some good news for a change

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I know get me the fuck out of here 😂 life is shit

Tel12 · 18/09/2026 16:41

Look, public sector employees include people who are ultimately carrying the can for this mess will certainly be making sure their pension pays out. Equally if the UK goes down the pan your pension won't be of any use anyway.

FKAT · 18/09/2026 16:42

CurdinHenry · 18/09/2026 16:40

I want to be independent from Brexit mentality and Nigel Farage types but I recognise that my pension is at risk is the point of this thread

Wish we could all declare independence from dunces and send them to a far away place

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You are seeking exile from far right types...in the EU?

OK.

thismummydrinksgin · 18/09/2026 16:48

I guess people voting to leave can’t have their cake and eat it?

Paganpentacle · 18/09/2026 16:49

CurdinHenry · 18/09/2026 16:01

All signs point to the good Friday agreement trigger for a border poll this parliament (and Ireland will vote to unify)

This will fuck and isolate GB as the common travel area withers and dies

Scotland will watch with envy and decide to go the same way (and kill off the Farage threat for good) and Burnham (correctly) won't stand in the way

Wales idk I can never work out their prospects or desires

But there is a clear appetite for separation and honestly overall I'd rather be in an independent Scotland in the EU at this point but also

what about my pension

Edited
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How will any of that affect your pension?

THisbackwithavengeance · 18/09/2026 16:51

FKAT · 18/09/2026 16:32

Also I don't really understand the logic behind 'we want to destroy the Union but also can the Union still pay for all our benefits?'

Indeed. England would be far better off if Scotland, NI and Wales fucked off. I say bring it on.

Beer3000 · 18/09/2026 16:55

The 2013 white paper on independence said that NHS and teacher pensions would be honoured. I know a lot of people who voted No due to worries about this though.

I just can't see anyone voting yes, unless they can make the same promises again, and more convincingly this time.

I am not sure Scotland would find it any harder to fund pensions than anywhere else in the UK. It is a problem, but it is a problem regardless.

Holeymoley28 · 18/09/2026 16:57

THisbackwithavengeance · 18/09/2026 16:51

Indeed. England would be far better off if Scotland, NI and Wales fucked off. I say bring it on.

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Ah I like wales. I’d hope they wanted to stay.

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 18/09/2026 16:59

THisbackwithavengeance · 18/09/2026 16:51

Indeed. England would be far better off if Scotland, NI and Wales fucked off. I say bring it on.

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I don’t actually think England would be at all better off.

Our electorate would skew horribly to the right for one thing and we could get stuck outside the EU permanently.

Catza · 18/09/2026 17:00

I am sure you'll be fine. You can draw pension from a country where you have your qualifying years even if you don't reside there. Just look at all those who retired to Spain from the UK. They draw their pension, no problem.
I actually have a small private pension in one of the EU countries. I am perfectly entitled to receive it even though I haven't lived there for over 20 years. I doubt "England" will dissolve as a country.

Catza · 18/09/2026 17:02

InOverMyHead84 · 18/09/2026 16:32

Wait, are we being annexed by Russia or something?

Might have something to say about that.

Pretty sure their pension age is still 50, so that's something positive I guess.

Anarchy99 · 18/09/2026 17:08

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AnAlpacaForChristmasPleaseSanta · 18/09/2026 17:08

This will fuck and isolate GB as the common travel area withers and dies
Scotland will watch with envy and decide to go the same way (and kill off the Farage threat for good) and Burnham (correctly) won't stand in the way

If your crystal ball also does lottery numbers then please let me know, OP.

UniquePinkSwan · 18/09/2026 17:13

Ffs…

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