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.

All my working life I'm sure the state pension was the same as the single person's tax-free allowance. Any private pension was then taxed. The tax-free allowance is now £12.5k and the state pension is less than £10k. So in real terms we are c.25% worse off if that makes you feel any better

The state pension is becoming increasingly expensive. There are more of us, people are living longer

and crucially even though life expectancy has increased, healthy life expectancy has not changed so much.

@vera99 Telegraph testing the waters to see how means testing will go down. Badly, I imagine.

I'm happy I use paywall-busting software to read that rag I certainly wouldn't pay for it.

@vera99 but so many don't understand the financial realities & think they have paid "their stamp" & lack of money is because of the "boat people". Its mind blowing

I'm not even young but don't expect to see a state pension & will have paid in far more than 35 yrs. I also think healthcare will go like dentistry.

@toulet

No, there wasn’t any official childcare. No support or tax credits for it. No organised childcare, just a neighbour if you were very very lucky. No NI based child care vouchers. No OFSTED inspected care. No nurseries, childminders, early years, pre school.

Aargh! Stop! I'm a lifelong Socialist and remainer, it's so painful to be lumped in with the Tory voting oldies!

But there was childcare, not being official doesn't mean it didn't exist does it?

They are not comparable. There was no organised secure monitored care like there is now. No government organised stuff. Nothing. No network of care.

And the fact you are questioning just demonstrates how you don’t know what it was like.

I don't understand the point you are trying to make. If a neighbour provided childcare so a mother can go to work it's childcare regardless of whether or not the government are involved & are benchmarking the care.

But statistically young and old vote differently. The "old" are statistically a large demographic and understandably people vote for their own interests (or what they perceive as their interests). But that shouldn't mean the young should have to put it with it just because it's democratic

And the fact you are questioning just demonstrates how you don’t know what it was like.

Nope, as I said I know my granny worked & I know she paid a neighbour so she could work. That's childcare...

I think perhaps don't get what it's like now either

If you start moaning about pensioners receiving a small uplift in line with inflation now, then by the time you reach pension age don't moan when nothing comes your way.

Yes, if you were lucky enough to find someone.

But the majority couldn’t.

2/5 of NHS expenditure is on over 65s. But they have made significant NI contributions over their working decades.
The other 3/5 of the costs are incurred by under 65s, including babies, children, teenagers who don't yet contribute. And so it should be, i can't imagine older people begrudging having subsidised the healthcare of younger people. Yet younger people are angry aboutpeople who have paid their dues being awarded a few extra pounds a week.
You do realise you will all be pensioners one day? Please remember your attitudes towards the order generations when the time comes.

I wholeheartedly agree the government needs to do more to help everyone struggling in these difficult times. But being so angry about the state pension increase when some people have nothing else to live off it (£185 a week I think?) is disgusting

I’m in my 50’s. I know exactly what it’s bloody like.

Older people are more likely to vote Tory so they’re hardly going to bite the hand that feeds them.

Rich people are also more likely to vote Tory. Paying working people a fairer wage would cost many rich people money, they’re hardly going to bite that hand either!

It’s all tactics.

My mum used to look after my dc for 2 days a week to make it more affordable for me to work. I didn't pay her & she didn't have surprise Ofsted inspections but it certainly was childcare which allowed me to work!

@RockingMyFiftiesNot But they have made significant NI contributions over their working decades.
do you have statistics for that?

The other 3/5 of the costs are incurred by under 65s, including babies, children, teenagers who don't yet contribute.

How can you separate the two as surely the over 65s were also born & were children & had children?

i can't imagine older people begrudging having subsidised the healthcare of younger people

Well they can't unless they were never young which is unlikely...

You do realise you will all be pensioners one day?

Do you think free prescriptions for over 60s will still exist in a few years? Or NHS will remain in its current form? Or that state pension age won't move out again?

Would rather give the triple lock to people working in public sector jobs. Everyone had the opportunity to save for a private pension

Tbf some people did save into a private pension & lost money plus schemes are far less generous now.

There should be a test you have to pass before you can vote - like the driving theory or citizenship test. (but only if it keeps the tories out !) I've read somewhere that the financialisation of the western world adds something like a 3% tax - the investment banks, hedge funds and the like skim that off the top but don't actually make anything except money and make the world a greedier more volatile place. Occupy Wall St started well back in 2008 but ran out of steam sadly. There's where the anger should be directed - punch up not down.