To think we shouldn’t have to contribute to soch if we don’t intend to use it?

[slozenger]

For example, I don’t want a state pension - so I should surely be able to opt out of soch based contributions percentage. And just pay a lesser amount to cover anything I do take advantage of.

You think that now but you don't know what's going to happen in the future. What is society supposed to do with you if things change?

No, OP is going to resuscitate herself. Job done. 😉

Its not a criteria I apply to my choice of nail place. But its a small market town and the only one and is your typical shabby chic middle classy type rather than a Vietnamese one not that im that bothered. I just wanted my nails filed down and polished before they started to break. I dont think people decide not to frequent places where there may be benefit claimants and if they do, they are twats

I was making the point that we all benefit from tax funded/free at point of access healthcare and public health even if, as adults, we have not yet used it. Some on this thread do not understand this i.e. they behave as if they are individuals with no connections to anyone or anything. Not meaning you specifically.

I feel your frustrations on this one, but social/societal contributions don't work on a pay-per-use strategy. And you absolutely cannot guarantee not needing the NHS.

They were a child, whos education was paid by other people.

But - as I have said elsewhere - you are using the resources even if you do not visit your GP or enter a NHS hospital. Because you benefit from the herd immunity provided by a nationwide system of vaccination which is co-ordinated and delivered by the NHS. You benefit from not having to pay private health insurance from your post-tax income or have your employer sequester such payments into a health scheme which you will/may lose if you lose your job or change your job. You benefit from the prevention and treating of diseases which you might otherwise catch and die from. And all that without going near a hospital.
Why can you have these benefits (and others) without contributing?

You can't go live alone in the woods. Not even if you own the woods. You'd have to apply for (and wouldn't get) a change of use with the planning department.

Those asking why some have referred to OP as "boomer", she claims to be 4 years off retirement age.

Anyone asking what "Soch" is, it doen't exist. OPs nan (who I suspect also doesn't exist) made it up. She's talking shit about national insurance contributions.

If, when you are catastrophically ill, you will not go to the NHS what are you going to do and who are you expecting to treat you? Unless you are a Saudi Prince or a member of the RF you don't have another recourse (and even the RF have used the NHS i.e. the DofE was operated on at Bart's, and NHS hospital renowned for heart surgery - likekly the best in the country).
Or are you going to let yourself die?

I think she’s made it up.

I would absolutely love to know how you would treat a heart attack at home please? If you could share what your ‘self tested ailment’ might be for a stroke, broken leg or catastrophic bleed I’m sure we’d all be grateful too. Imagine the money we could save the NHS!

Will people who pay in have badges like the fire insurance plaques on houses in days of yore (when soch was a thing). Basic flaw to system was the
house fire burning the plaques.

No one intends to need emergency or medical help but life sometimes bites you on the bum.

I honestly think we’ve got a few Isabel oakshott mentality types on here and the post was designed that way - if you want to live somewhere where it’s very much down to pay as you go, then move elsewhere , and be prepared to be in the shit if life goes pear shaped. , if Farage was in and tried some of this he’s going to get absolutely slammed by some of the rather gullible voting that way who haven’t looked at the bigger picture, just the fact he doesn’t like foreigners ( unless they are loaded and funding him)

And god forbid they need the police - what happens too if someone for whatever reason loses their substantial assets and suddenly needs that state school, needs carers 4 times a day or care home? A cautionary tale is a friend of ours , in his early 60s , extremely fit, good looking , comfortably off, early retired, very nice house paid off ( he was quite a catch) had a huge stroke whilst abroad on holiday - was in hospital on EU for months, has had substantial NHS ( and some private) rehabilitative treatment for 18 months, will never now not need some continuous care and adaptations etc but probably not to the level that he will get it paid for - knowing him I’m pretty sure he would have ‘opted out’ of state pension/health etc if there were options yearsago .

Same here. I'm self employed and generally have my nails done on a Thursday afternoon to fit in with my diary commitments.

OP unless you know your life won't extend beyond your pension date, how can you be sure you won't need state pension? There are plenty of people who have lost their private pensions to scammers and need to fall back on the state pension, others who live to old age and run out of private pension or who need to rely on state support in a care home.

And how do you square it being fair for those who pay NI and then die before they get their state pension.

It has to be the same for all of us, because we none of us know what the future holds.

How do you know you won't need it? You may get a disease or injury that stops you having a decent income to support yourself in old age, or if you have money you may be scammed out of it or have to spend it. Do you think society should leave you penniless on the streets in that case, or would you expect to get looked after? It's like saying I don't want to pay for car insurance because I won't have an accident. You are insuring yourself against being destitute in your old age.

I was way down the posts and after googling "Soch" I was still none the wiser but then I said it out loud. Aaahh Slozenger you must be so young and naive to assume you won't need the Soch saftey net, may you continue in your self delusion. As a member of the soch aka pensioner after 51 years working life I feel entitled and delighted to get a pension I've never had kids either but never expected a refund.
Purely on semantics it was never called this except in slang. In the 1950/60s the slang in Scotland the "broo". My posh cousin had to apply to the broo for help and called it by what he thought was its proper name the "Brewery" cue laughter as its proper name was "Bureau" in the"Ministry of Labour"

"ailment" - another much-misunderstood (by the OP) word.

I keep laughing every time I see it.

It’s funny until you realise they can probably vote 🫠

How about cancer ? Presumably OP can do her own surgery and source/mix chemotherapy drugs herself. It’s either a huge wind up or batshit.

Another one who has no clue about how a functioning society works. Is mumsnet full of utterly selfish people? God help you if your luck changes.

Still TCP I reckon.

@slozenger , your username should be mystic Meg, you know you’re not going to have a car accident, you know you’re never going to have a heart attack and you will self treat any unfortunate illnesses ( I hope that works for a long decline with dementia). All insurance schemes, including NI work on the principle of collective risk. I pay car insurance, house and contents insurance, I haven’t had to claim and I hope that continues. My payments help the insurance companies cover other people’s claims. I don’t use the swimming pool, schools or public libraries but I pay full council tax. Some of my friends have died before they reached retirement age, others will live to be 90+, they all paid NI. If you don’t want the benefits of a collective safety net perhaps live somewhere that leaves everyone to their own devices. I am btw a boomer by age range, so is Jeremy Corbin , so is Theresa May, so are Tony Blair and Gordon Brown Nigel Farage is just about in the cohort. How are they similar? I do think this is a windup. I read soch to rhyme with loch and hadn’t a clue what it was. Soash I may have guessed. Most benefits I would define as “ soch” ( if I used that term) are paid from general taxation .

Ah! You're American!