Keir's first day....

[CurlewKate]

Looks pretty good to me! What are people's thoughts?

It'll come as news to you that the same is true of some working-age benefits, then?

I get contribution-based ESA.

It's not pro-rata on NI contributions, but has another NI condition, viz having paid enough stamp in a small window leading up to your disability.

So some people pay in for years, leave work for one reason or another (including illness), and then become too disabled to work and find they aren't eligible.

Yes, old-age pension is a benefit. See also the look on the faces of people who'd been mouthing off about "benefit claimants", when Child Benefit was made means-tested. "Oh, I didn't mean that benefit."

But anyway, what they ^ all said, about no new taxation of basic pension having been announced.

It's just certain media frothing you up.

Good - he's not super inspiring but his policies seem solid, and at least he seems sensible - renationalising the railways is such a good policy

Well, obviously people immediately think, oh good rich boomers will not get state pension if means tested but It would be a bit of a home goal because the people most likely to lose their state pensions through means testing would be the public sector who have the best defined benefit pensions, both retired and still working

And now everyone's talking about starmer cutting off pensions (which is a total lie), instead of the good work starmer and his party have already done and what they intend to do, which is of course what that poster wanted.

So @HowIrresponsible - where did you actually get this from? Or are you just spreading misinformation, wilfully?

Any changes made wouldn't just affect current pensioners though... you and I would be affected too when we reach that age.

Having said that, I fully accept that reform of some kind is needed to deal with the demographic time-bomb facing us. An ageing population with too few workers won't be able to fund generous pensions for the large retired population.

I just wish there was a good answer to this issue. I do at least think Starmer is competent enough to do a thorough review of any proposed changes (unlike the last lot).

No labour party official has suggested any changes to pensions. This is bullshit made up by some anonymous person to wind people up and panic them.

Unfortunately that's not how the state pension works. Most people receive far more than they pay in NI, and the funds to pay for it come through taxes on the current working population.

The NI you pay (assuming you're not retired) is funding current pensioners. It is, unfortunately, effectively a ponzi scheme which relies on the working population being large enough to support the retired population. Except that no longer holds, due to falling birth rates and people living longer...

I don't pretend to know what the best and fairest answer to that problem is, but it is something that the government need to think about.

And I see that @HowIrresponsible has also posted the same thing on another thread.

A self-confessed Tory, who doesn't think that poorer people should be able to claim benefits. Who admits to being a high earner (a professional woman) and who also moans about how much Victoria Starmer's dress cost.

So evidently not a supporter of Labour. But worse than that, determined to spread misinformation about the party.

Personally I hope he's having a nice evening watching the penalty shootout with his family

Although it's bullshit, the reason it sticks is because we do all know that at some point a government (maybe this one, or maybe a future one) is going to have to make serious changes to how we fund pensions.

Watching his first press conference made me so happy 😀
finally grown ups are in charge!
whatever decisions he takes, will be for the good of the country, not for the results on the next general election.
I wish him well!!!

Well if they are going to do that, they will have to stop making the contribution mandatory....I also wonder how they will deal with the WASPI's

Welcome to the thread.

they aren’t means testing pensions.

the end.

You do realise that most teachers, nurses and train drivers would have their state pension taken away. The unions would never allow it.

Oh give it a rest BIWI.
Yes evidently the pensions thing may be made up, but the fact that people have not dismissed the idea means it is not beyond the bounds that people think it's something he may do. This is because he has fudged questions about where the money is coming from so until this is announced, all bets are off.
I will be very interested to see if you are still so starry-eyed about Starmer a few months down the line.
He's made a good start, I will admit that, but there's really no need to snap at posters who don't share your unquestioning admiration.

Nothing to do with 'unquestioning admiration'

But everything to do with despising people who post, deliberately, misinformation.

Oh, and I'm very well aware of the challenges that face Sir Keir, and his government. No illusions here.

So if it's alright with you, I'l keep posting. I'm not going to 'give it a rest' whatever you think that means.

@Brandonsflowers wait until they are mid 80s, develop physical or mental infirmity and maybe need full time care or residential care, every single penny starts counting then because the cost of privately paid care (which subsides state care) is astronomic especially if you are looking for good quality care. Becomes even higher if you need medical or nursing care but don't qualify for state support because your needs aren't severe enough.

Not this government, one day after getting into power. That poster is trying to upset people with something that hasn't happened anywhere except in their own sad imagination.

Whether it's true or not, the mere idea that a senior advisor said pensions need to be looked at is enough to know its not that they are thinking of increasing the state pension, or doing anything to benefit the pensioner. I don't trust the Labour party as far as I could throw them.
Watch this space. All this marvelling at his wonderful first day let's give him a clap on the back nonsense.
Shit will go down, and not in a good way.

I didn't notice anything about means testing the pension in the Labour manifesto. Pension credit is already means tested.

And those who have other incomes in retirement are taxed anyway, so it kind of is means tested.

It's made up.

And that's all you need to say

thank you.

Is he? Today's press conference was held in the No10 dining room - Chris Mason confirmed on R4. Or do you mean he's using it for something else?