State pension age to increase to 75 WTF??

[mrselizabethdarcy]

Just seen this article. I'm so worried about the future.
www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/tories-raise-state-pension-age-18953679

It also reminds me of all those disabled people being told they are capable of work, but no one actually told the employers.
Younger people will at least have time to save so that they can retire earlier than 75. People my age won't.
Sometimes I honestly think the Government just wants people like me to die.

jennymanara you are absolutely right. Once you hit your 50s, even if you are fit and well, exercise, eat a good diet etc etc, your body does change and things do get a bit harder.

the thing that strikes me about "easy" shop work - no such thing, surely? Standing up all day?

Someone upthread mentioned life expectancy being 88. I didn't know that, how depressing. As soon as my mum's gone, I'm going to take up drinking and smoking!! 88. Fucking ridiculous. We grew up thinking three score and ten was good and I thought that was too much.

Most full-time jobs are not cushy, that is my point.

I didn't say they were. At no point did I say that.

I don't really see the point in debating any further with you as you seem determined that I'm saying all 70+ people are fit to do demanding job or that there are lots of easy jobs around when I'm not.

There are many people I know in their 70s who could work full time in a job. Not all in the same job, but a job. MIL and her best friend could both work full time, but one would need a lighter job than others.

And I certainly didn't say there was millions of said jobs - my original point was the fact that more people going for these jobs was going to make it harder for people who already found it hard - women and young people.

the thing that strikes me about "easy" shop work - no such thing, surely? Standing up all day?

I didn't mention easy. I said light retail - sitting down at a till in a small shop. Compared to shelf stacking in Tesco.

Just to note that almost any pension scheme, including teachers and nhs workers are only available when you reach 65 or state retirement age now, whichever is the later, so that means that younger nurses and teachers might be looking at 70 plus to draw their work pensions and well as their srp.

Yes I am in this position too and there must be thousands who are (probably disproportionately women). It's impossible to make rational plans if the goal posts move after you've made the contributions. The website for my scheme doesn't give any clear information at all. If I can't access the pension I've already built up till I am 75 (at least without taking a massive reduction) then it'd be much more rational for me to stop contributing to the scheme and start putting the money into a private scheme that's more under my control so that I have some way of providing for my late 60s/early 70s. Of course if lots of people do that then the scheme won't be viable anyway.

I am really worried that the goal posts will move when it is far too late for me to do anything about it despite the fact that I've been always contributed and always made careful decisions with the information I've been given at the time.

And I suspect younger people don't realise that. They could look at me working, with kids, playing sport and say - well look no reason you still can't do all that.
But I don't say to other people that I am fucking exhausted at times, that I struggle at work at times to keep up the pace, that I cut my hours down at work because I simply can't do what I used to do. I tried to and I was just getting ill all the time.

And when I talk to people 10-15 years older than me, people who go walking holidays and are active, they all say they do these things but they get much more tired and need much more recovery time.

In the UK so many younger people seem to think getting older is not real. As if you are still the same. There are exceptions, but most people do feel their age and it does have an impact.

@Ali86 Yes it would be totally rational to do that. Or just not bother having a pension at all. After all if you can not get work they still have to give you benefits.

I'll rephrase

I don't think retail work is ever "light". If I think about the small shops here, you might occasionally see the owner, who will be the only staff member, sitting down, but I don't know how much "sit behind a till" work really exists in this day and age.

People will have to work if there is no pension for them to have. Thankfully many 74 year olds will be able, physically, to work full time in different sectors. It’s shit they’ll have too, but if there’s no pension they’ll have no choice

Many 74 year olds won't be fit enough, so they will end up claiming disability benefits, so no saving there.

This change will only happen if we the electorate allow it to. That entails getting wise to this government's tactic of turning young against old, blaming immigration etc etc.

As pp have said. we already have one of the highest state pension ages in Europe. Other countries are creeping up to 67 and 68, but none have anything higher.

Libyas is higher at 70

Ali86 "I am really worried that the goal posts will move when it is far too late for me to do anything about it despite the fact that I've been always contributed and always made careful decisions with the information I've been given at the time."

yes. This is why, when considering potentially caring for mum, I was so surprised to hear people saying "will you top up your NICs". No way. Handing money over to the government when I don't have to - no.

to be fair, it is mostly older friends who have said this - I think younger ones all realise there'll be no state pension. My sister is four years older and also works on the assumption there'll be no state pension.

There is shop work sitting behind a till for very part time hours available, but it is rare. I know an older person who does this at my local shop. But it is about 8 hours a week during busy times. So about £65 a weeks earnings. Brilliant as pocket money, not enough to live in though.

RosaWaiting I don't think you need to worry, life expectancy isis now slowing (and has never been 88 I don't think?)

www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/lifeexpectancies/bulletins/nationallifetablesunitedkingdom/2015to2017

All realise there will be no state pension. There has to be a state pension. Unless what happens is the Government accepts paying disability benefits and unemployment benefit to a lot of older people instead of a state pension. Most people can not work till they die. And all except the well off can not fund themselves in old age.

I'm going to bow out of this as I'm obviously not making my point very well. Hopefully sleep deprivation rather than stupidity!

Those fit enough too will have to work. They'll have to complete for those jobs.

They shouldn't have too, but they will because no-one will stop it. The changes have already been part made. The attack on disabled people was allowed. The attack on the poor with UC was allowed.

I think this is going to happen and people are going to have to live with it because politicians don't give a shit. I just have to hope I win the lottery between now and then!

@RosaWaiting did you know you can apply for carer's credit for NI purposes?

If you get Carer's Allowance you get it automatically I think and also you can get it if the person you're caring for gets AA/DLA/PIP. If none of these apply you can still get it if you spend 35 hours or more a week caring, you just need a GP or other HCP to sign a form confirming this is the case.

www.gov.uk/carers-credit/eligibility

jenny "There has to be a state pension."

I just think we'll slowly go back to workhouses and slums. Or they'll hand out food vouchers, or maybe just basic food.

@lyra Apologies I thought you were arguing in favour of the proposed change.

The problem with 'no state pension' is other benefirs will increase and potential huge unrest. I started working and psid national insurance on a social contract that it coveed out of work benefits and a pensions

It will also affect younger people who currently get free childcare from GPs. And older people who get free care from relatives.

I'm thinking of my local high street and the only sit down retail jobs are in charity shops. They're volunteers! Plus in the smaller shops the worker will do everything, shelf stacking, cleaning - you're not going to employ someone who can't fulfil the role.

I have a disability and am all too aware of how few employers are willing to take on anyone that's not at full strength. Disability discrimination is rife, but so difficult to prove. The same will apply with more older people seeking work.

i'm 24 and ive just checked and my current pension age is 68.

I don't really expect to have a state pension at all, tbh.

I am paying into a workplace one, and will try and pay off our mortgage as soon as humanly possible... further than that ive no idea what ill do!

I don't see the issue with it. People are living much longer now. It's simply not realistic to think it's feasible to retire at 65 when you could live another forty years.

Assuming you are fit and healthy that is, which is another story.

WhatNoNotYouAgain not many people make it to 105!