AIBU to think the disabled are the next target?

[Locutus2000]

The Guardian

Though Jeremy Hunt said the government was “not in a position” to contemplate a decrease in tax immediately, he said the welfare budget could be hit further down the line to foot the bill.

He told the Times that 100,000 people a year were “moving off work into benefits without any obligation to look for work” – a sign he said showed the system was not working.

The welfare system had to be a “mix of carrot and stick”, with more assistance required to help people find work, given there was “no shortage of jobs”, he added."

Funny how 'carrot and stick' always equates to 'more stick'.

@IClaudine two thirds of pensioners are tax payers. They contribute to their care just like everyone else. That’s in addition to the increasing number who access private healthcare.

You are confusing ageism and fact.

Hilarious.

This is why I call you ignorant. Absolutely astonishing.

I'm of pensionable age. I'm self employed and pay tax on my pension and on my earnings. I've got private health insurance.

Why is she "ignorant"?

https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/pensions/article-12247245/Number-pensioners-paying-income-tax-jumps-25-four-years.html

The comical thing about this "argument" is that it really doesnt matter.

Pensioners will be made poorer because they have made the entire country poorer.

Thats the reality.

The backwards thinking, avoiding of reality, lack of math skills etc..

It doesnt matter once you cannot pay your bills

And then its sayonara.

That is precisely were the UK is now with £1.2T in spending, £1T in revenues, and a £2.5T public debt.

Its true what the Americans say:

You become bankrupt gradually....then suddenly.

Because todays "pensioners" payed in far less in tax than they utilised.

They are net takers. By the tune of £300k per person over their lifetimes.

Thats what making this country poorer.

I’m an older millennial with 20 years of NI credits and I can guarantee that I won’t be getting a state pension. So yes, that’s a real risk.

The social contract has to change because it’s not sustainable having every 3 working adults supporting 1 pensioner.

My mum too.

42 years teaching the next generation to die 8 months after reaching pension age.

Life's fucking cruel but I would still not shit in those who get theirs. (Not suggesting you would btw but some posters here seem to think they shouldn't get one)

Porridgeislife I remember back in the 80s people were saying the same thing, yet it is still here. I don't think it will be gone entirely and I don't think any government would have the gall to axe it for people who have been paying contributions. It would be electoral suicide.

I do wonder about the motivation of some posters to seed doom and gloom about the future of the UK.

Pensioners are more likely to be millionaires (27%) than living in poverty (15%). Over 50% have assets between £500-£1m.

Yet we happily topped up their collective incomes by 10% this year whilst schools (literally) crumble, the NHS falls further and further behind, and seven in ten children in poverty are in working households.

It's a societal time bomb. Increasing numbers of elderly, not necessarily in good health. Many early retirees potentially running out of money as the live long lives. The long term sick. High numbers of young children with various needs, SEN and physical, many of whom will never be able to contribute to the state, many more than previous generations due to better early healthcare, prem babies etc

All these people need support in a compassionate society, but how much can we afford, and who is going to pay.

This was the reason I was eventually given redundancy from my previous job more than 10 years ago, they changed my job and expected me to fall in line with it. Of course I became more ill and disabled and ended up in hospital. Eventually got my union involved and they were forced to admit what they did.

Why? It’s literally public knowledge. The ONS reported on it too - this year.

Almost half of all spending in this country happens from the public purse via the government. The number of net contributors is declining year on year. And the number of economically inactive people continues to soar. It’s just not sustainable. Not that the Tories are capable of changing it.

To answer your "question"...

You can't. There is not enough money.

So you have to make choices. You either focus on the younger (and more productive) folks to grow the UK economy, or you focus more on the older (and unproductive) folks.

Thats the choice due to our FPTP electoral system.

Its a shitty decision to have to make but the pensioners and the Tories have led us to this scenario.

Yes, but that is because of the high house values, not because loads of pensioners have millions sloshing around in their savings accounts?

Thethinkinggoblin**

You may find people listen to your arguments a bit more if you stopped being so rude and patronising.

People can have their opinions but when you speak to those who disagree with you the way you do you won't engage them to listen to what you're saying.

I've got to the point where I'm not even reading your posts. So if you've actually got something worthwhile listening to I wont be. The more posters who do this the less your point gets across valid or not.

Fair enough. Could you link to the report please?

I am trying to work how that squares with the highest child poverty and tax burden on record. Have you even stopped to read that sentence back?

There is alot of wishful thinking in the population as a whole. That is why no govt has changed the NHS to a more contributions based system like the more successful European ones. If the health system was more efficient more people could work to a later age which is definitely needed. I feel there are too many people unable to work as they are on waiting lists ( I could be wrong that is anecdotal).

Google it. I’m not your personal library. You’ll find as of this year it’s 54.2%

Having an estimated 1.8million people (source Statista) with long covid really is probably the single most important reason for the recent increase.

And that number is set to increase, with each wave (we're in one right now)