To be raging at Dispatches "rich and on benefits"

[crashdoll]

It's talking about pensioners and all they get from the welfare state regardless of income or savings. Cue clip of David Scameron saying he won't touch their benefits.

Thank you infamous I figured there must be something but didn't know what!

My PIL are abroad again. They will go away at least twice more before the year's out. Dh and I and the dc will go camping if we're lucky. But, the PIL vote tory so there is your answer.

A civilised society helps the vulnerable, not the rich.

No, a civilised society helps all of its citizens, not just the poor.

Another rageing here.

The golf club pretty much sums it up.It's not just the wealthy Stingfellow types but the hoards of baby boomers who got us into this mess living it up full of entitlement. What me have to errr contribute.

Go to John Lewis,Waitrose etc they're all heaving with them enjoying their retirement because they deserve it.

My inlaws spend the best part of 30k on holidays,have 2 cars and all sorts of expensive hobbies.They haven't worked any harder than dp and I,mil has never worked a single day in her life.They don't need any benefits what so ever,yet we are constantly clobbered and feeling the pain.

They go Scott free.

Big mistake,Dave,big mistake.

CloudsandTrees she may be planning to go back to work and pay in a lot more in her life time. She could well have only been on benefits for 6 months.

I think pensioners who have managed to save should be grateful that they have been in that position, that they were not unfortunate enough to become chronically ill or disabled meaning that one of the partnership had to give up work, and that all their children were able bodied and healthy meaning they could carry on working. They shouldn't be looking down their noses at those less fortunate than themselves and thinking of them as 'scroungers!'

I didnt watch it but what makes me sad is that my nana is 82 worked since she was 14, worked hard all her life and hardly gets any thing, no free dental,no free glasses. No winter fuel nothing, she isnt rich either, just her pension from the job she had which she gets taxed heavily on. Her best mate has never worked and gets the lot. Free housing (lovely bungalow) free glasses and teeth pension, heating...
P.s i love nans bestie i dont begrudge her any thing, just that if you work/ have all ways worked you all ways get the short straw-- unless you are really well off, then u dont bloody need it.

Yes, she might. In which case she will be able to pay her own council tax, as she should be doing.

Why on earth should society help the rich? What help do they need?

They need a dose of reality, could we provide them with that?

This is interesting reading

It states that 40% of the NHS budget is spent on the over 65's, but this is anold report

We are the 6th largest economy on the planet, the wealthiest of us have increased our wealth considerably since the "economic crisis". Our taxes, be they income tax or National Insurance, or VAT or the myriad other indirect taxes have gone to bail out global financiers. The social advances of free education, health care, varied social housing etc were gains made by the people who fought and lived through WWII, those that are left are the pensioners who deserve at least the very least what they get in benefits. Their children are the ones getting what's left of those gains now. That all those gains are being taken away gleefully, from pensioners, the unemployed, the sick, the young, the poor and with the apparent support of the public is shamefull.

With you 100% kazooblue. Exactly the same boat here. With cuts to CB, no public sector payrises, loss of tax credits and increased pension contributions, we'll be about £500 a month worse off from April. That doesn't take into account inflation and the fact that our landlord has put the rent up. Pissed off doesn't start to cover it. I'm dreading Wednesday's budget, but as dh says, there can't be anything left to take from us now

Seriouscakeeater your nan will be getting Winter Fuel Allowance. It is universal, they all get it!

i thought all over 65's got free NHS dental and glasses.?

Why on earth should society help the rich?

Because they are part of society, the same as everyone else. And they are quite an important part of society, what with being the ones that pay in the most money.

seriouscakeeater why doesn't your GP get a state pension and free prescriptions etc?

I struggle to understand why some seemingly highly intelligent people fail to acknowledge the financial crisis we are in and insist that the welfare state should help everyone. It is not what it was when Beveridge wrote his report post WW 2. He did not predict the situation we are in now.

You will all be old one day. And most pensioner benefits are means tested.

Am I the only person who really doesn't give a toss where benefits go? I have always worked but just can't master enough energy to care if the next person is getting shed load of 'free' money. I don't care how tired I am of working I would never want people to lose their benefit just because I have to work. It's actually stressing me knowing people are facing cuts. It will just cause more crime, more depression, everyone in each others throats and even more poorer kids. I would prefer to pay higher taxes so that people could keep their benefits. Mark my words, take away what little that people have, and we are ALL going to pay for it.

Vivienne i think it was the ATTITUDE shown by the pensioners in that golf club that has pissed people off.

Oh don't you believe it Ihate,I'm sure they'll find something whilst cutting vat on Saga holidays or golf clubs probably.

MrsK, unlike the parents procrastinating refers to, we do understand how difficult it is for young people, which is why we have dished out hefty sums enabling our son to join your parents in Chiswick (but we are having a bit of fun with what's left)

When we're old Vivienne there won't be anything left to be means tested or not!

What irks me is, a few years ago on a MN chat I asked Harriet Harman about WFA for disabled people, she said my £46 a week DLA should cover myextra heating, and everything else! I'd love to know how!

I struggle to understand why some people think that the state should only help people who do little to help themselves.

The welfare state should exist to support pensioners and the disabled as by far the main priority. For everyone else, it should be a temporary safety net, and that's it.

As long as their are working age people choosing not to work, choosing to SAH because CTCs will support them in having children they can't afford themselves, choosing to work part time because benefits and the extras make them bring in the same amount of money, then pensioners are the least of society's problems.

Vivienne Most pensioner benefits are not means tested: free bus pass, free TV licence, WFA, free prescriptions, eye tests and dental treatment.

Oh and Vivienne yes we'll be old with buggar all,none of us will have the baby boomers life style so really if it's good enough for us I'm afraid it's good enough for them.

Even with taking their benefits away they'll still be massively better off.

The fact is we can't afford to keep them in lifetime NT membership,cruises and Waitrose ready meals any longer.