AIBU to think that I shouldn't have bothered working and paying into National Insurance for the 35 years I have done so?

[HauntedBungalow]

When all I will get is the bare State Pension. Whereas other people who did not make these contributions and/or did not work will get Pension Credit plus all the other nice little add ons like Council Tax Support, free boilers and now Winter Fuel Allowance? AIBU to think I'm a mug for bothering to work all those years?

Many low paid jobs are part time because it benefits employers and reduces their wages bill overall. Zero hour contracts are another scourge. It's all very well expecting people to work three jobs because "moral" when it screws over logistics of caring responsibilities, income is not fixed and employment is precarious.

Even minimum wage is badly thought out as the young get less and older people cost more to employ, regardless of actual COL.

The economic shitshow has been engineered to maximise profit at the top end and keep the "lower orders" on a tight leash.

The mantra of "just work more / harder" is all well and good, but the opportunities to actually progress have diminished significantly in recent years. It doesn't take much to knock people off course despite their best laid plans because the COL is now so high and once you get into debt it's not easy to climb out - it takes years.

Like hell, it is!

1. I strongly object to topping up wages of people in full-time employement. This is just welfare for big business, allowing them to get away with paying poor wages.
2. You are talking about the benefit trap. That is, if you take a part-time job you lose most of your benefits, so you are no better off and you have to source childcare etc if you are a parent. Thus it is more sensible not to work part-time. This is even worse with a full-time job because benefits are immediately lost and if it's is poorly paid work of the type I cited in 1) then it takes a while for the welfare benefit to the employer - sorry, wages top up - to kick in. Also you will have new expenses such as bus fares to get to work, and there is no provision for this. Because of that problem it is better to work the minimum hours, so benefits are less affected. The answer to this is to reform the benefits system so that actually finding a job is not penalised. This is known as the 'benefit trap'. Finally, people on benefits need them. The entitled lot are those who think it is ok for employers to pay low wages and for taxpayers (you and me) to fund that, whilst blaming the poor for being poor.

Hi, there are clearly different perceptions for different people. I have always worked full time on a very low salary ( initially) whilst raising my son. I would have likely been better off not working or working part-time.
I really struggled like many others.
I know people who have chosen not to work or work PT to retain their benefits whilst still choosing to have more children.
So, as said, different perceptions for different people.
I agree that many employees are exploited by ruthless employers who don't pay fairly.
That's why there needs to be available top up financial assistance to ensure those people can pay their rent. Those people don't choose to work PT or not at all whilst knowing that they will be supported by the taxes of those who work full time.
I have had conversations with people who admit that they will never work or increase their hours because they consider it not to be worth it, irrespective of their children's ages. Why can't they work more and earn their money as opposed to living off the tax payer? And having more children.
I was never a high earner but my child is my responsibility.
I appreciate your perspective and hope you can see mine

I agree, people see things differently.
However, I think employers should pay proper wages and not expect a hand-out from the taxpayer (me).

Well done, you are setting a good example to your children.

I think if nurseries were treated much more as a necessity and subsidised much more by the govt a lot of these issues wouldn’t arise.