Council tax is a c**t

[Upholstery]

What kind of a tax doesn't take account of how much money you have? It's all just a bloody con.

Why are so many people retiring early, as in before the age of 67? They absolutely know that they are no longer paying income tax and NI but are they upset about the consequences of that?

I won't be retiring before my state retirement age, as I can't afford it before the state pension comes in for me. People who retire early in general do so if they can afford it based on private pensions and savings/other income, and they certainly will be paying tax on any income over the personal allowance amount. When people reach the state pension age, that is added to all other forms of income and again tax is paid on everything over the personal allowance.

The only exception is the 25% tax free sum on non-state pensions, which you can either take as a chunk when you retire (leaving less to fund your income later on), or you can choose to have spread out over time.

Did you really think that you don't pay any tax on pensions however much they are?

Ummm... I'm 59 and retired, and husband is 64 and retired at 58. We both pay plenty of tax and and council tax. And we don't mind doing it. But I do mind inferences that we don't!

I don't see anything wrong with retiring early as you still pay Council tax. You also pay income tax unless you are surviving on a small private pension.

Surely the issue isn't retiring early but leaving the workplace early to go on benefits and paying a reduced council tax.

Why are so many people retiring early, as in before the age of 67?

Because they are fucking knackered. Like hell am I working until I’m nearly bloody 70.

This. And with the pension age rising the number of people retiring “early” will also increase. I was 62 when I retired and I was done, there was no more in the tank.

Exactly

Expect to see more of that as state pension age is pushed back, regardless of how often we're told that 70 is the new 60.

Council tax is based on wealth (property value) which I think is a good thing. Income is overtaxed which unfair on younger workers.

Read an article last week that reported that the Government's mulling over whether to raise the retiral age to 72. It's as clear as day that they want as many folk as possible to die off before they can claim their State Pensions.
Work hard, pay taxes all your life, then drop dead. It's the British Way..

But you could argue that I can be on the same wage as someone much younger than me who is living in a smaller house. I, theoretically, could have bought my house 20 years ago for half as much as the young person who is in a much smaller house. My house has gone up in value but my wages haven’t so much.

But that is what it was Built to do. To plug a relatively short gap between retirement and death. With the increase in life expectancy the amount of time on average that people get paid a state pension has increased hugely. It’s not affordable long term.

So what’s your answer?

People are living longer, but it doesn't mean they can work for longer. Healthy life expectancy has barely moved in decades.

All pensioners need to pay tax , not just those with private pensions.

Everyone else needs to pay more tax.

So pensioners on a pension less than the personal allowance should pay tax?

everyone or the usual everyone aka those who work?

Do you think that people who don't work don't pay tax?

But if you rent, the wealth in that property is not yours.

Those on UC and PC don't pay PAYE. Only VAT

Everyone else including workers and.non pension credit pensioners are subject to PAYE and VAT. How is that fair. They are taking tax payers money that is not subected to tax and also receive council tax exemptions.

No pensioner in the UK who relies on the state pension alone pays income tax. The full state pension is below the tax free amount we’re all entitled to.

Plus pensioners who own their homes get zero council tax exemptions.

So it's the fault of the elderly for inconveniencing the Government by not dying? How troublesome of them...

For now.

Currently if you receive a tiny private pension plus state pension you do pay paye tax.
UC and PC has no tax liability.

40% of people on UC work.

But UC in itself faces no tax liability.