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AIBU?

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Original poster

to think if the state pension age of 68 is being brought forward.........

384 replies

JenniferBooth · 25/01/2023 16:52

then they need to stop moaning and whining when there are no family members (read women)
to provide unpaid care so elderly relatives can be discharged from hospital
You cant have it both ways.

OP posts:
safeplanet · 26/01/2023 08:06

Yeah I don't understand the university thing. I did make NI payments during uni as I had a holiday job but even if I hadn't I wouldn't need to buy the years. I actually did buy them on my maternity leave which was a stupid thing to do as I'd then paid 22 yrs but I have another 29 yrs of working until SPA

Penguinsaregreat · 26/01/2023 08:09

Governments should have planned for this.
Why the hell should anyone be forced to work full time at 67?
I know I will be Christ.
Of course the narrative is to blame other generations but it is not the fault of any age group.

AnekeSchuss · 26/01/2023 08:09

It removes the option to retire early though unless I pay contributions out of the work pension I’d draw.

AnekeSchuss · 26/01/2023 08:10

Sorry that was meant to quote reply to @Sunsetintheeast

America12 · 26/01/2023 08:22

They'll end up paying out more sick pay or disability benefits. I couldn't do my job at 68.

Quisquam · 26/01/2023 08:28

Well I have to ask, why didn't they go back to work? How did they support themselves, why do they think the world owes them a pension?

DH is a high earner. I could have worked full time, but what would have happened to two disabled DC, who needed care and support, otherwise they would have fallen through the gaps between fragmented NHS, social services and special education, all in their own silos. I got around £67 per week carers allowance - the cost to the state of me not doing that, would have been far higher!

safeplanet · 26/01/2023 08:30

Governments should have planned for this.Why the hell should anyone be forced to work full time at 67?I know I will be Christ. Of course the narrative is to blame other generations but it is not the fault of any age group

Absolutely, however it would mean much higher taxes & I doubt it would have been a vote winner.

KimberleyClark · 26/01/2023 08:57

NewFoxOldTricks · 25/01/2023 21:27

Well I have to ask, why didn't they go back to work? How did they support themselves, why do they think the world owes them a pension?

Show quote history

They both found DH’s who were willing to support them in being SAHMs. It’s not something I would ever have done had I had children, I think it puts you in a vulnerable position. Their mothers didn’t work either.

Sunsetintheeast · 26/01/2023 10:02

AnekeSchuss · 26/01/2023 08:09

It removes the option to retire early though unless I pay contributions out of the work pension I’d draw.

If you can’t afford £810 when retiring at 55 I think the decision could be a little reckless. 57 is still pretty early and will be before you can access a private pension anyway (it’s age 58 from 2028).

ancientgran · 26/01/2023 10:42

SueVineer · 25/01/2023 20:06

The current generation got their state pension at a lower age than future generations and have a far longer time retired than the younger generation will get.

Do you really need that pointing out? Apparently so…

Show quote history

How are you defining the current generation of pensioners? They could be women of 75 or 100 who got it at 60 or a woman who retired last month will have got it at 66. It's going up a year or two so hardly a big difference to lots of pensioners now.

Add in the fact that the 100 year old woman probably started fulltime work at 14 and it doesn't look that unfair particularly when you look back at when we were paying 35% income tax.

ancientgran · 26/01/2023 10:50

EngTech · 25/01/2023 21:07

When the youngsters retire, there will no money in the pot to pay them

There isn't a pot, todays pensions are paid from current taxes/NI, tomorrow's pensions will be paid in the same way.

OutForBreakfast · 26/01/2023 10:52

I started full time work at 16 and can't retire until 67. I feel pretty screwed over. 51 years of working full time with much shorter maternity leaves than mothers now get. Worked part time for about 4 years, the rest full time.
Most working class people started work at 16 when I was young. My dad started full time work at 15. If he was still alive he would be 78 years old.

AnekeSchuss · 26/01/2023 11:17

Sunsetintheeast · 26/01/2023 10:02

If you can’t afford £810 when retiring at 55 I think the decision could be a little reckless. 57 is still pretty early and will be before you can access a private pension anyway (it’s age 58 from 2028).

Show quote history

I know, completely valid point. I’m just bitter 😭

Blossomtoes · 26/01/2023 11:19

safeplanet · 26/01/2023 08:30

Governments should have planned for this.Why the hell should anyone be forced to work full time at 67?I know I will be Christ. Of course the narrative is to blame other generations but it is not the fault of any age group

Absolutely, however it would mean much higher taxes & I doubt it would have been a vote winner.

It wouldn’t necessary have meant higher taxes. Those successive governments had access to the best economists, insurance experts and financiers. Had they not kicked the can down the road the population bulge in the snake could easily have been planned for. They just couldn’t be arsed, politics is predicated on short termism.

Penguinsaregreat · 26/01/2023 12:53

Yes lots of todays pensioners were working full time at 14/15 and paying NI contributions.
I don’t blame any of them for retiring at 60.

Penguinsaregreat · 26/01/2023 12:58

The government are also well aware of population statistics. People get paid a lot of money to predict how the population will look in the future. They know what the shortfall will be they have the data and the resources to act upon it.

Badbadbunny · 26/01/2023 13:02

@Greydogs123

I think the message needs to be much clearer to young people that they need to start contributing to a private pension as soon as they get a job.

Employers are legally bound to set up workplace pension schemes and inform their employees. In fact, there's "auto enrolment" which means employees will be automatically enrolled into the employers' pension scheme unless they opt out.

That's a pretty strong "message" to send really. It's also on the back of 30+ years of all kinds of incentives to get people making their own pension arrangements such as contracting out of SERPS, very attractive tax relief, tax free lump sums, flexible drawdowns, etc.

Not sure what a government could do extra really. You can lead a horse to water and all that......

safeplanet · 26/01/2023 13:04

Yes lots of todays pensioners were working full time at 14/15 and paying NI contributions.

You don't need to work f/t to pay contributions. I've paid them since 17 & throughout uni by having Saturday & holiday jobs.

safeplanet · 26/01/2023 13:05

Employers are legally bound to set up workplace pension schemes and inform their employees. In fact, there's "auto enrolment" which means employees will be automatically enrolled into the employers' pension scheme unless they opt out.

But the contribution is shit & salaries are crap so many opt out simply to afford housing.

OutForBreakfast · 26/01/2023 13:06

You have to earn a minimum amount. But there is a big difference doing a Saturday job at 14/15 and leaving school and going into full time work. You are treated and expected to act like an adult.

safeplanet · 26/01/2023 13:06

The government are also well aware of population statistics. People get paid a lot of money to predict how the population will look in the future. They know what the shortfall will be they have the data and the resources to act upon it.

I don't think they accurately predicted the fall in birth rates as that seemed to come as a surprise to them. Or the recent "silver exodus".

safeplanet · 26/01/2023 13:07

@OutForBreakfast why do you think todays 17&18yrs old don't act like adults at work?

OutForBreakfast · 26/01/2023 13:10

safeplanet · 26/01/2023 13:06

The government are also well aware of population statistics. People get paid a lot of money to predict how the population will look in the future. They know what the shortfall will be they have the data and the resources to act upon it.

I don't think they accurately predicted the fall in birth rates as that seemed to come as a surprise to them. Or the recent "silver exodus".

I keep hearing how people will not live as long as the older generation because of diabetes and lifestyle issues AND that we are going to have a big growth in lots of older people as people are living longer.

Oliotya · 26/01/2023 13:12

Can't exactly walk into a job at 16 these days though. Almost everything needs some sort of qualification or degree.

safeplanet · 26/01/2023 13:12

@OutForBreakfast Surely both things can be true. Life expectancy is reducing or has reduced but there are still more older people?