What are all pensioners getting another £300 this winter??

[F0RBIDDENFRUIT]

They are amongst the richest people in the country, yes there are poor pensioners but a lot of them are way richer than anyone else.

£300 more for energy, none of the old people I know need this, they all have more money than their children.

Just because they vote, that is the only reason they can be doing this.

I’m well aware that pensioners pay income tax but not NI on their income. As NI is a type of income tax, pensioners are paying less than everyone else.

and as I’ve already pointed out, because the current generation of pensioners have taken so much out the system, the retirement age has gone up substantially for my generation and it’s likely there will be no pension at all in a few years for my dds generation. Yet we are the ones paying for the current system.

Hate to burst your bubble OP but my state pension increase this year was completely swallowed up by tax. I was told this when I queried it!

Most of us continue to pay tax once over the threshold. I don't vote Conservative btw. Nor do I begrudge families who get Child Support nor any other benefit. HTH

These things have been looked at by the experts.

State Pension (pay in vs pay out) for age increase to 68 proposal
The linked modelling paper explores how much in National Insurance Contributions (NICs) has been paid in by various age groups (20, 40, 60) over their working lifetimes in 2022 vs how much State Pension benefits they will be paid over their retired years. This paper is part of the review for moving the State Pension to 68. Modelling points to the folks aged 60 (2022) having paid in far less NICs over their working lifetimes vs the State Pension benefits that will be paid out to them. This is due to NICs having been lower for that age group in the past.The link between NI payments and Pension benefits is better aligned at earlier age (being 40 in 2022) due higher NICs payments.

https://www.pensionspolicyinstitute.org.uk/sponsor-research/research-reports/2023/2023-01-10-contributions-into-the-state-pension-system-versus-receipts-for-people-of-different-income-and-employment-profiles/

It is means tested (although it's a very high bar). I agree there is a good argument for reducing the threshold. The slight nuance around nursery fees is the long term impact it has on peoples (typically women's) earning power if they take time off to care for children. So it's a slightly more complex issue and strays into gender equality issues too. I am not necessarily disagreeing iwht you but it's quite complex.

They should not means test it but pay to all to save money, with the request that if you didn't meet the means test threshold you donate to age concern. Most people will do the right thing.

Retirement age has gone up because people are living longer.

Should only be given to those on Pension Credit imo.

Suppose the argument is that most old people are at home in the winter most of the time and it's ruinously expensive to keep the heating on, but many can well afford it as you point out.

We've worked and paid taxes for nearly fifty years. Still working to make ends meet . Never claimed anything from the state other than child benefit. I think some help with utility bills is justified

My dad and many of his friends in his council sheltered accommodation aren’t rich pensioners and absolutely need this payment. So many pensioners aren’t wealthy boomers.

What a load of Tory bollocks.

The state pension increased more than 10% this year (much higher than doctors, nurses, teachers salaries) and it’s entirely untrue that you were taxed 100%.

(To OP)

Totally agree.

The argument is that it should be means tested. Then it would only go to those in need like working age benefits

Exactly. We have paid in for our pension and earned it. It can't be stolen.

I don’t know a pensioner who needs it either ,but then I don’t know a lot of people

It would cost too much. That has been explained many times on many threads. Just like it would not have been cost effective to means test the £400 fuel discount that we all had.

Retirement age has gone up due to the cost of paying for pensions- this is mainly because people are living longer and drawing the state pension for much longer. The boomers in particular hit a sweet spot where their life expectancy has increased but their pension ages had not been adjusted. This is extremely expensive for the country- as I said, state pensions alone are 10% of all government spending.

I love your optimism! A lot of wealthy people hoard their money and begrudge spending a penny, they would never give away a few hundred they could keep

I'm a boomer and a WASPI and a tax payer. Do I win a prize? And I don't vote Tory either, not that it matters where I live.

As explained on this thread and others, it would not cost too much. Almost all working age benefits are means tested

Waspi?

Nursery fee subsidies are already means tested, so don’t worry yourself about that.

Once one parent earns > £100k, they are removed. This does mean that two parents earning £50k each are better off than a family earning £90k and £20k once child benefit is taken into account.

Your State Pension is a BENEFIT.

Do you not realise there is no pot of money waiting for you at retirement?

Current taxpayers are funding current retirees DIRECTLY. Its a paygo system.

The only thing NI contributions do is measure qualifying years for a State Pension.

The actual benefit is NOT guaranteed. It can go up or down, or be means-tested.

Your number of qualifying years can also be increased (from 35 to 40).

All of this is legally possible.

Surely you can understand the main reason. Many old people are less mobile, so get cold when sitting for long periods, despite jumpers, blankets etc. Younger people and children are more often out of the house (school, work etc) or are more active.

It is very expensive resource/admin wise to try to weed out the "less" deserving. Which is why child benefit was a universal benefit for a long time