Page 19 | Is living on the state pension really that bad?

cateringday · 2026-02-21T09:07:03+00:00

I mean, if you own your home then you’re getting around £250 a week just for bills and spends. i have a tiny pension and DH has none. I am always worrying about this but then realised that we will have no rent or mortgage to pay. im just wondering if it would be as awful as people make out? I hear stuff saying you need £300000 in pension pot to have a comfortable retirement, why would you need that much?

Hatty65 · 21/02/2026 19:17

Living on the state pension is fine with two of you.

I won't be able to afford to live here if DH dies, despite being mortgage free. £1000 a month won't cover my council tax, bills and food.

speakingofart · 21/02/2026 19:18

I could live on it but as a millennial I won’t have that option unfortunately!

Merlin23 · 21/02/2026 19:20

Pippa99999 · 21/02/2026 19:04

Is it just DH’s pension or do you have your own? Might be worth getting your own and benefiting from employer’s matching pension contributions.

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I was a stay at home mum for 20 years. I have 10k in my pension not bad for 3 years working part-time. I also have full state pension contributions as of this year. DH pension comes to me if anything bad happens. We share everything no his and hers. He worked at work while I worked at home. We see everything as equal. His pension is mine and vice-versa.

Viviennemary · 21/02/2026 19:20

CollectionFour · 21/02/2026 18:44

We manage fine on state pension, pension credit, and PIP. No private pension or other private income. House is paid off. Council tax is paid. Live in London where we have free public transport and it goes almost everywhere we need to go. We have a car and use it about once a month. Don't pay road tax due to PIP. Lots of cheap entertainment including free swimming and gym at the council leisure centre, cheap exhibitions and places to visit (some are hugely discounted due to being on pension credit, eg £1 Tower of London, £3 Zoo). We often do theatre trips with last minute deals and DH goes as my carer. Lots of cheap/free events all over London including orchestral concerts, opera tickets, V&A, Kew, talks and public lectures. We use seat filler websites too which gets us cheap tickets to gigs, theatre, concerts etc.
Dental and optician costs are NHS, we have to pay for some things but much cheaper than private. Prescriptions are free. We get help towards bills and don't scrimp on heating (though we dress sensibly and don't walk around in shorts in winter). We get half price water bills due to medical condition. Cheap phone and broadband on a social tariff.
Socialising is mostly cheap, eg meeting up in friends' houses, a walk to the various parks. We don't spend money on things like nail treatments or coffees out, we've never done that so we don't miss it. We eat well by cooking from scratch at home, grow some of our own food in the back garden, and buying from community pantries.
We don't have a cleaner or gardener and don't feel we need one (we have all the time to clean and it doesn't get too dirty with 2 adults in the house, low maintenance garden). We do most basic maintenance and DIY on the house ourselves. No pets.
We go on holiday every couple of years, sometimes we join our dcs and dgcs so it works out quite cheap, but we've also had cruise bargains in the off season. We buy clothes when needed, not as a hobby. Things like furniture and appliances get replaced if they break, and we have enough savings to be able to pay for things like that, but it's infrequent. Pension Credit allows you to have savings up to £10k before PC is affected, which is a higher threshold than UC.
DCs will help out sometimes, eg they've given a tablet and phone as a joint gift. They live locally so no big costs for visiting them. We are able to pay for gifts for them and dgcs but nothing extravagant, but they are happy.

But being on pension credit and PIP is a lot different from surviving on a state pension alone.

Sexentric · 21/02/2026 19:23

ByQuaintAzureWasp · 21/02/2026 09:40

Do a list of all the essentials and what they cost. Im retired with an income after tax of £3500 pm with no mortgage and do not live an extravagant lifestyle. I cant wait to get state pensions. It will make a world of difference instead of spending savings all the time.

I would not want to live on just state pension, I'd be miserable.

But you dont have a mortgage! That sounds like loads. Way more than we have left over as a family if 4 after paying for mortgage and childcare!

Julen7 · 21/02/2026 19:26

CollectionFour · 21/02/2026 18:44

We manage fine on state pension, pension credit, and PIP. No private pension or other private income. House is paid off. Council tax is paid. Live in London where we have free public transport and it goes almost everywhere we need to go. We have a car and use it about once a month. Don't pay road tax due to PIP. Lots of cheap entertainment including free swimming and gym at the council leisure centre, cheap exhibitions and places to visit (some are hugely discounted due to being on pension credit, eg £1 Tower of London, £3 Zoo). We often do theatre trips with last minute deals and DH goes as my carer. Lots of cheap/free events all over London including orchestral concerts, opera tickets, V&A, Kew, talks and public lectures. We use seat filler websites too which gets us cheap tickets to gigs, theatre, concerts etc.
Dental and optician costs are NHS, we have to pay for some things but much cheaper than private. Prescriptions are free. We get help towards bills and don't scrimp on heating (though we dress sensibly and don't walk around in shorts in winter). We get half price water bills due to medical condition. Cheap phone and broadband on a social tariff.
Socialising is mostly cheap, eg meeting up in friends' houses, a walk to the various parks. We don't spend money on things like nail treatments or coffees out, we've never done that so we don't miss it. We eat well by cooking from scratch at home, grow some of our own food in the back garden, and buying from community pantries.
We don't have a cleaner or gardener and don't feel we need one (we have all the time to clean and it doesn't get too dirty with 2 adults in the house, low maintenance garden). We do most basic maintenance and DIY on the house ourselves. No pets.
We go on holiday every couple of years, sometimes we join our dcs and dgcs so it works out quite cheap, but we've also had cruise bargains in the off season. We buy clothes when needed, not as a hobby. Things like furniture and appliances get replaced if they break, and we have enough savings to be able to pay for things like that, but it's infrequent. Pension Credit allows you to have savings up to £10k before PC is affected, which is a higher threshold than UC.
DCs will help out sometimes, eg they've given a tablet and phone as a joint gift. They live locally so no big costs for visiting them. We are able to pay for gifts for them and dgcs but nothing extravagant, but they are happy.

Life of Riley.

Loopylalalou · 21/02/2026 19:32

Donttellempike · 21/02/2026 09:15

Is it? People have paid into this all their lives. What an attitude 😵‍💫

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Look into the history of an old age pension. It was first paid as subsistence - that’s managing to exist, no more - but has been used by politicians, the increases over the years to gain favour with elderly voters.
Save money, make your children be realistic about further education, not think you’re owed anything.
AND you’ve not paid in all your life into a pot marked ‘Donttellempike’. What you pay today pays today’s total social costs.

Pddn · 21/02/2026 19:39

OhDear111 · 21/02/2026 18:49

@CollectionFour other peoples taxes are doing you well then. You didn’t take much responsibility to save for yourself then? Just take handouts whilst owning a house?

I thought the same thing as well. The cheek of them.

Seymour5 · 21/02/2026 19:42

Winter2020 · 21/02/2026 14:22

It's hardly screw the poor to give them a grand each month from public funds is it?

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The oldest pensioners don’t get a grand a month unless they have nothing else coming in. My state pension is less than half of that. All sorts of reasons why older women didn’t have full contributions.

Cat1504 · 21/02/2026 19:46

zurigo · 21/02/2026 17:38

But only for local buses. It doesn't cover you to get a National Express, for instance.

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No but it covers a lot….I got the coastal bus from Scarborough to Leeds last month…that’s about 70 miles…all free…you just have to pick your routes

Winter2020 · 21/02/2026 19:47

Loopylalalou · 21/02/2026 19:32

Look into the history of an old age pension. It was first paid as subsistence - that’s managing to exist, no more - but has been used by politicians, the increases over the years to gain favour with elderly voters.
Save money, make your children be realistic about further education, not think you’re owed anything.
AND you’ve not paid in all your life into a pot marked ‘Donttellempike’. What you pay today pays today’s total social costs.

Show quote history

Quote
"What you pay today pays today’s total social costs."

Yep - but pays towards it - the tax intake doesn't cover everything going out so our national debt continues to rise.

mel78y5 · 21/02/2026 19:59

It sounds like a pretty sad existence to me. It really grates me the people posting competitive posts on social media (usually on how hard it is for younger generations with wage stagnation and housing costs) saying “try living on a state pension”, as has been stated state pension has never been designed to create a comfortable lifestyle, it was a safety net. If you want a comfortable retirement you have to save for it, and no doubt a lot of these people will be the same people moaning about people on benefits etc.

ABeerInTheSunshineMakesMeHappy · 21/02/2026 20:13

I think how easy (or not) it is to live frugally is so dependent upon where you live.

A small modern home is cheaper to heat, easier to maintain, especially if you have just a small square of garden or live in a flat

Urban areas are better served by public transport so can get around without a car

If there is NHS dentist

If you are served by the cheaper supermarkets

What facilities are there for older people - eg day centres, lunches and craft afternoons organised by local churches, events run by libraries, cheap lunchtime offers at local pubs/cafes, free exercise classes etc (all available near to me).

jenny38 · 21/02/2026 20:18

We have one of the lowest state pensions in Europe. I recently saw an old colleague, whose retirement on state pension is very difficult. The cost of living rise had eaten into any wriggle room and they were finding things hard. Just because you have retired, you still have home maintenance etc and want to do more than just exist.

XenoBitch · 21/02/2026 20:21

My DF dropped dead a few days ago, and my mum's big worry now is how she is going to cope financially. She has a pet and a car, likes to meet friends for lunch etc. She is a pensioner and still works... was wanting to finish working but now has to carry on and fuck her body up in the process.

Pddn · 21/02/2026 20:25

XenoBitch · 21/02/2026 20:21

My DF dropped dead a few days ago, and my mum's big worry now is how she is going to cope financially. She has a pet and a car, likes to meet friends for lunch etc. She is a pensioner and still works... was wanting to finish working but now has to carry on and fuck her body up in the process.

I'm sorry for your loss.

Merlin23 · 21/02/2026 20:28

XenoBitch · 21/02/2026 20:21

My DF dropped dead a few days ago, and my mum's big worry now is how she is going to cope financially. She has a pet and a car, likes to meet friends for lunch etc. She is a pensioner and still works... was wanting to finish working but now has to carry on and fuck her body up in the process.

Does she not get his pension?

XenoBitch · 21/02/2026 20:29

Merlin23 · 21/02/2026 20:28

Does she not get his pension?

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No, he never had one. He was on ESA for years.

Merlin23 · 21/02/2026 20:32

XenoBitch · 21/02/2026 20:29

No, he never had one. He was on ESA for years.

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So sorry to hear that! She might be entitled to other benefits.
Sorry for your loss!

suki1964 · 21/02/2026 20:37

Me and DH ( 62 and 64 ) have decided we cant afford to retire until health forces us

We are both on course for full pension when we get there and I have a tiny NHS pension so if we were looking at todays sums - just £2200 every four weeks , but at the moment we take home just around £3k a month between us - both of us now PT

We have been mortgage free for a good few years now

We are used to cutting the cloth so whilst we choose not to retire we are going to be feeling quite rich - compared to now

But now our life isnt really a struggle. We eat well, if plainly. We go out at the weekends , we have a meal out every now and then ( we dont do take away ) , we dont have holidays abroad but holiday in the UK once or twice a year . We keep on top of repairs on the house and can pay for replacements - since covid we have needed a new oven, new fridge/freezer, new tv and new mattress - all within 18 months and we have the money earmarked for the washing machine replacement as its on its last legs

We will have to downsize eventually so hopefully that will help when we do retire. Fuel is our biggest expense - we are on oil and it's a big house . Im looking forward to getting a two bedroom on mains gas :)

I think if you dont have huge expectations of what retirement means its doable on the state pension

Our families are in Australia and we have never been, but we have been saving the past 2 years just £1 coins left in the pocket and purse, and within 2 years, we have flights paid and accommodation Another year ( with mother dyeing at the moment ) we will be going on the journey of our lifetimes

Basically we live, pay our bills and squirrel away what we can . We dont owe a penny. We save for what we want and then put that away and pay on 0% finance - JIC an emergency

Pickledonion1999 · 21/02/2026 20:42

CollectionFour · 21/02/2026 18:44

We manage fine on state pension, pension credit, and PIP. No private pension or other private income. House is paid off. Council tax is paid. Live in London where we have free public transport and it goes almost everywhere we need to go. We have a car and use it about once a month. Don't pay road tax due to PIP. Lots of cheap entertainment including free swimming and gym at the council leisure centre, cheap exhibitions and places to visit (some are hugely discounted due to being on pension credit, eg £1 Tower of London, £3 Zoo). We often do theatre trips with last minute deals and DH goes as my carer. Lots of cheap/free events all over London including orchestral concerts, opera tickets, V&A, Kew, talks and public lectures. We use seat filler websites too which gets us cheap tickets to gigs, theatre, concerts etc.
Dental and optician costs are NHS, we have to pay for some things but much cheaper than private. Prescriptions are free. We get help towards bills and don't scrimp on heating (though we dress sensibly and don't walk around in shorts in winter). We get half price water bills due to medical condition. Cheap phone and broadband on a social tariff.
Socialising is mostly cheap, eg meeting up in friends' houses, a walk to the various parks. We don't spend money on things like nail treatments or coffees out, we've never done that so we don't miss it. We eat well by cooking from scratch at home, grow some of our own food in the back garden, and buying from community pantries.
We don't have a cleaner or gardener and don't feel we need one (we have all the time to clean and it doesn't get too dirty with 2 adults in the house, low maintenance garden). We do most basic maintenance and DIY on the house ourselves. No pets.
We go on holiday every couple of years, sometimes we join our dcs and dgcs so it works out quite cheap, but we've also had cruise bargains in the off season. We buy clothes when needed, not as a hobby. Things like furniture and appliances get replaced if they break, and we have enough savings to be able to pay for things like that, but it's infrequent. Pension Credit allows you to have savings up to £10k before PC is affected, which is a higher threshold than UC.
DCs will help out sometimes, eg they've given a tablet and phone as a joint gift. They live locally so no big costs for visiting them. We are able to pay for gifts for them and dgcs but nothing extravagant, but they are happy.

Clearly not that disabled going swimming, to the gym and doing DIY yourselves in between all your socializing . let me guess both claiming carers premiums on pension credit for looking after each other too?

Pddn · 21/02/2026 20:42

suki1964 · 21/02/2026 20:37

Me and DH ( 62 and 64 ) have decided we cant afford to retire until health forces us

We are both on course for full pension when we get there and I have a tiny NHS pension so if we were looking at todays sums - just £2200 every four weeks , but at the moment we take home just around £3k a month between us - both of us now PT

We have been mortgage free for a good few years now

We are used to cutting the cloth so whilst we choose not to retire we are going to be feeling quite rich - compared to now

But now our life isnt really a struggle. We eat well, if plainly. We go out at the weekends , we have a meal out every now and then ( we dont do take away ) , we dont have holidays abroad but holiday in the UK once or twice a year . We keep on top of repairs on the house and can pay for replacements - since covid we have needed a new oven, new fridge/freezer, new tv and new mattress - all within 18 months and we have the money earmarked for the washing machine replacement as its on its last legs

We will have to downsize eventually so hopefully that will help when we do retire. Fuel is our biggest expense - we are on oil and it's a big house . Im looking forward to getting a two bedroom on mains gas :)

I think if you dont have huge expectations of what retirement means its doable on the state pension

Our families are in Australia and we have never been, but we have been saving the past 2 years just £1 coins left in the pocket and purse, and within 2 years, we have flights paid and accommodation Another year ( with mother dyeing at the moment ) we will be going on the journey of our lifetimes

Basically we live, pay our bills and squirrel away what we can . We dont owe a penny. We save for what we want and then put that away and pay on 0% finance - JIC an emergency

Can't you just stay with your family in Australia?

Pickledonion1999 · 21/02/2026 20:44

Julen7 · 21/02/2026 19:26

Life of Riley.

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Clearly a wind up post !

XenoBitch · 21/02/2026 20:48

Merlin23 · 21/02/2026 20:32

So sorry to hear that! She might be entitled to other benefits.
Sorry for your loss!

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She has some savings, and acknowledges she will have to whittle them down and go on pension credit. She is in a council house and still has to pay rent.

crossedlines · 21/02/2026 20:49

CollectionFour · 21/02/2026 18:44

We manage fine on state pension, pension credit, and PIP. No private pension or other private income. House is paid off. Council tax is paid. Live in London where we have free public transport and it goes almost everywhere we need to go. We have a car and use it about once a month. Don't pay road tax due to PIP. Lots of cheap entertainment including free swimming and gym at the council leisure centre, cheap exhibitions and places to visit (some are hugely discounted due to being on pension credit, eg £1 Tower of London, £3 Zoo). We often do theatre trips with last minute deals and DH goes as my carer. Lots of cheap/free events all over London including orchestral concerts, opera tickets, V&A, Kew, talks and public lectures. We use seat filler websites too which gets us cheap tickets to gigs, theatre, concerts etc.
Dental and optician costs are NHS, we have to pay for some things but much cheaper than private. Prescriptions are free. We get help towards bills and don't scrimp on heating (though we dress sensibly and don't walk around in shorts in winter). We get half price water bills due to medical condition. Cheap phone and broadband on a social tariff.
Socialising is mostly cheap, eg meeting up in friends' houses, a walk to the various parks. We don't spend money on things like nail treatments or coffees out, we've never done that so we don't miss it. We eat well by cooking from scratch at home, grow some of our own food in the back garden, and buying from community pantries.
We don't have a cleaner or gardener and don't feel we need one (we have all the time to clean and it doesn't get too dirty with 2 adults in the house, low maintenance garden). We do most basic maintenance and DIY on the house ourselves. No pets.
We go on holiday every couple of years, sometimes we join our dcs and dgcs so it works out quite cheap, but we've also had cruise bargains in the off season. We buy clothes when needed, not as a hobby. Things like furniture and appliances get replaced if they break, and we have enough savings to be able to pay for things like that, but it's infrequent. Pension Credit allows you to have savings up to £10k before PC is affected, which is a higher threshold than UC.
DCs will help out sometimes, eg they've given a tablet and phone as a joint gift. They live locally so no big costs for visiting them. We are able to pay for gifts for them and dgcs but nothing extravagant, but they are happy.

Yeah yeah