Pensions to rise with inflation - but what about working people???

[doris9034]

BBC Website: "Liz Truss and Chancellor Jeremy Hunt jointly agreed to guarantee that the state pension rises with inflation next year - thereby maintaining the "triple lock" - ahead of PMQs this morning, Downing Street says.
In a huddle with reporters after PMQs, the prime minister's official spokesman said the decision reflected the "unique position" of pensioners who are "unable to increase their earnings through work"

But I - and millions of others - are also unable to "increase our earnings through work" because we are in the middle income bracket, our employers do not have the capacity to raise our earnings in line with inflation and we don't qualify for any state related benefits.

So, whilst I 100% don't begrudge the helping of pensioners (many of whom are probably among the better off anyway), I can't help but feeling a bit annoyed that it always seems to be the ordinary working person / family that never gets any respite from the ever increasing cost of living.

most teachers who retire early go on ill health

l retired on ill health. Only 49% of applicants receive it and it is notoriously difficult to get. The majority retire early by their own choice. I know lots of people who went in their 50’s. I was the only one who got I’ll health.

Not wishing to derail the thread but the biggest scroungers are the Royal Family!

Some pensioners are well off many are not
Some pensioners vote Tory , many do not
Despite what many on mumsnet may think

Also why a race to the bottom, why are you not querying why benefits will be inflation based , after all some people on them have never worked ?
But its always pensioners on here and they are all rich an all vote Tory, which is a myth on itself as think of how Long labour goverments were in during these peoples lifetimes

@Kabalagala and do you not think they maintained someones pension? Also someone will maintain yours
Chances are unless your a high payer , the taxes you pay don't even maintain you and your family , especially if you have kids , so your prob not maintaining anyone

Quite. And the basic pension in this country is already pretty miserly, compared to most other western countries. Not to mention that many women don't even get that! Also, remember that private occupational pensions are not inflation proofed either.

The reason people get a state pension regardless of if they have a private one is because they paid in also
My nan in her late 80's lived on one room with her family , then her kids , I think older people know what a hard life it is
People who claim we have it harder now , its crap
60 years ago most people never owned a house , they lived in rented properties, families shared rooms
Pensions get a pension because they paid in ( mostly ) its as simple as that
Women who stayed home get less but actually someone staying home was valued then
But many women also worked but part time as cleaners. Etc around their kids
Both my nans worked throughout one became a single parent with 3 jobs as no tax credits etc then
So her little increase I think shes entitled too
Money she then spends and puts back in the economy

Statistically though, younger generations are funding far more pensions for far longer.
If you care to read back through the thread at all, you would see that I'm not in favour of cutting pensions, I just think that everyone should be seeing the same uplift as pensioners.
And actually, my DH is a higher rate tax payer, and a migrant so we actually probably are net contributors. Not that it should matter since the reason most people aren't is because wages are so shite.

PS. Most of us in the private sector are having to work until we're 67.

As an 8-year-old in 1969 I remember going with my mum to Rediffusion (she worked and had her own money) to buy a TV. She was told she needed the signature of her husband for the HP as hers as a woman wasn't valid. She also had to leave the Civil Service when she got married in 1957 having worked for them since 1945 as she was married and married women couldn't take men's jobs. I have the letter in my box of things she left behind.

@Kabalagala if you have kids prob not net contributors
The goverment can't force private companies to pay more though? Plus they do pay more than a pension or benefits in most cases and thats all they to
There is no. Fix it all for everyone

What's the excuse for public sector pay then?

@Blix

its generally really not. It's very difficult to decide on the needs/doesn't criteria & it's a very costly administration process. More expensive then paying the grant to the entirety of one group.

there is nothing to stop people re routing help they don't need. There are food banks, energy banks & many charities.

Depends on people being decent, which is a shame, but hopefully those that don't need it will pass it on, but if not hopefully they'll spend it helping local business.

By that logic, there's no need to means test any benefit and we should just have universal basic income.

Utterly ridiculous. Of course you could means test it.

@Theluggage15 how ? Its not a benefit state pension is an entitlement all get as paid in to NI for it
If you mean the few extra payments like warm home , the cost of administering that is more than pay out so what is the point ?
You also hope those that don't need it pass it on or at the very least pay back into the economy
Those that have a private pension and a state also still pay tax so again money that goes into the state

@Kabalagala pension is not a means tested benefit as technically most have paid in to get it in the first place
Benefits you don't have to have paid a penny to get it
Pensioners who have a private pension and state do pay tax as well

@Theluggage15

I didn't say you COULDN'T.

but it's an entitlement after paying into the pension fund for YEARS. It's not a benefit.

@Kabalagala public is lack of money and depends which sector really as some aren't as poorly paid
A gp salary is ok a nurses not
A head teacher good a newly qualified not so good
But does anyone think any goverment will come in and raise it by say 10% but then bot tax you elsewhere on it
I still see the bigger issue as houses, house prices and rent have gone way over the cost of wages and if this had been kept more inline we wouldn't be in this position
In late 90's I earnt £19000, rented a 3 bed at £650 a month, same job in that area now pays around £25000 same house to rent about £1400-15000
Friend at tome bought a 2 bed flat £650000 now worth £320000 thats where the big issue is to me

* £65000

It is a benefit. It’s defined as one by the government.

Of course pensions are benefits. They are benefits with qualifying criteria like any other.

What ‘pension fund’? What are you talking about?

Haven't read the thread but any increase in pensions won't be paid until April. That's plenty of time for this shit show of a government to u turn yet again. After all, a week is a long time in politics......

I understand I think what OP is feeling. I am from the generation who;

1. Are expected to be working as well as mother's.
2. Are expected to work and contribute for (at least) 7 years longer than their mothers.
3. Were not given information about pensions or forced into a scheme when starting employment, so massive knowledge/financial deficit.
4. Have had most final salary pensions unavailable to them...except the ones that rely on our taxes to fund them.
5. Are told that they are lucky to earn enough to buy a house which, if they lose their job/get divorced will be taken away from them as there is no help from government towards mortgages (before you jump on...I know about the mortgage interest after a year etc...but really what use is that?) no empathy from courts for working mothers as we 'are all equal'
6. If we manage to buy and retain a house (we are so privileged) its value is used to means test more and more benefits, despite what you may have spent on the house in terms of remodelling, upkeep and mortgage payments, so are we any better off than renters longterm?
7. Will probably be subjected to increasing cuts to state pension if not it's total removal for those with pensions over a bare minimum amount.

All these things make me think, given how much time and effort went into getting onto the career ladder, being a working mother paying thousands in childcare, paying many many thousands to buy ex out of home, attempting to catch up with a private pension that will pay at least as much as the state pension to give myself a meagre but not breadline existence in my (now shortened pensionable years) and whilst I am still working, I should be grateful for having a job that I get no benefits (other than child benefit) whereby I can just afford the mortgage, heating (ish), food and two or three nights a year in a budget UK hotel chain for a holiday....fuck this if someone tells me I am fucking privileged.