Who is going to pay for your state pension/ care in old age?

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Apparently birth rates are falling, and this is putting future pensions (and I would imagine general tax income) in jeopardy as the population will proportionally age.

What's the solution? Should we just write off our paid for "right" to a state pension and state support for care in older age?

Does this change your view on public investment in supporting people to have children if you otherwise thought this was a personal choice and you should support/ pay for your own children?

AIBU to think that NI contributions for "pension" is essentially government mandated mis-selling and state pension will go out the window in the next few decades?

Oh absolutely. I earlier pointed out that migration is a very efficient way of tackling this (not least because they often go home to retire so no old age burden).

You took my comment that I can’t see any other option and you extrapolated that I wanted all old people to top themselves. Quite the leap. Lots of people have taken the question down to a personal level.

And hmm, you feel old people should just kill themselves to avoid being a burden on a society that can't support them. Interesting wasn’t the nicest or most accurate comment I have ever seen.

And I will have nobody to care for me if I get il, hence why I am offering to ‘take one for the team’

Right now I am concerned about AI related under employment in the future, and a lot more concerned about my kids generation than anyone else's. I have limited sympathy for millennials looking wistfully at how rich their booomer parents were, or indeed for gen X (my generation) doing the same thing, as most of us have at least had some kind of meaningful chance to work already. Obviously the implications for pensions are terrifying for everyone though.

What if you’d prefer quality over quantity?

I also expect we will see a break in the hold pensioners have on government budgets. They will lose the golden protected status, the triple lock will go, and over time the state pension will devalue just as other benefits have.

Not for current pensioners. There are already more over 65s than under 15s so voters will vote for what benefits them.

Well in that case they should be paying our pensions like we pay for today’s pensioners

Do you not see the problem with the demographics though. 5 workers to 1 pensioner like in the 60s is a very different ratio to 2:1….

Well in the sense it'll be even worse for generations to come you are probably right.

HEALTHY life expentancy

Don’t forget (only read page 1 so forgive if already mentioned): state pension was never designed to give decades of funded retirement. It was meant to give about 2 years, so people didn’t die in harness. It’s also not a savings scheme. I don’t pay in now on the expectation of getting something later, I pay now for pensioners now. I’m almost 50 and not anticipating getting a state pension.

I think governments should support family life because that is beneficial for all of society.

They don't seem to, however, and I am in my 40s and have never expected the state pension to still be around when I am of age. My future planning is based around receiving nothing from the state.

I have no intention of being cared for and will see to it that that doesn't have to happen. I'm more concerned about my children's generation. If things are looking bleak now, Gen Y hasn't got much to hope for in terms of housing, healthcare or retirement.

People don’t pay anywhere near enough for the level of healthcare they expect either.

Honestly, I don’t get why MN lets people post stuff like “people over 50 should just check out to help the economy” or “under-50s shouldn’t even make it to that age.”

Bet those folks wouldn’t say that to immigrants or people of color—online boldness has its limits, huh?

I’m just glad I’m not into any “-ism” that supports that nonsense.

I’ve always been the type to overthink everything—like, seriously, I’ll imagine the worst-case scenario for even the smallest stuff. Weirdly enough, I kinda find comfort in doomscrolling through my own life drama. Been super careful with money since I was a teen, and now that I’m in my 40s, I own every financial misstep I’ve made, no blaming my parents or their generation. I’ve been working hard to build and grow my wealth, hoping my retirement is chill and secure. My life? It’s on me—no excuses, no blame, especially not toward my parents who are in their late 70s.

If you’re stuck and blaming boomers, use the internet you’re already paying for (it’s not cheap!) to turn things around while you still can. There’s a ton of free help out there.

Are you on the wrong thread?

I agree with those pointing out healthy life expectancy. That is entirely different to actual life expectancy. I can count over 6 friends and acquaintances (including my best friend) who have not made 54 or retirement - all cancer related. For that reason alone, at 58, I have downsized, cut my hours down to the bare minimum (self employed; like my job) and am living my life right now. I'm too scared after what I've witnessed to assume I'll make 67.

This.

For several decades it feels like the state pension has been phased out for pensioners of the future by compelling companies to provide cost their employees retirement and increasing the pension pot by stopping the option to opt out of the state pension and pay reduced NI.

Seems bizarre now, but company pension schemes use to be a sign of a good employer with many not having them.

In the last 20 years I have only come across 1 person who chose not to pay into a company pension. Everyone else I know will have a much lower state pension than many current pensioners because they have decent private pensions.

Add in the increase of women in the workplace paying into their own pensions - current pensioners often brought up their families on one wage, now most families I know have two working parents.

Now the cost of adult social care will rise with longer life expectancy, but cushioned by people needing to sell their homes to pay for their care.

I mean. Surely it's their responsibility to look after themselves?

Who is going to support all the dole dossers who've never worked a day in their lives?

State pension is a pittance, designed to prevent huge poverty. I focus on my private pension and making sure that will cover what I need. Any state pension will be a bonus.

Except that's not how society currently works. Those who can't look after themselves, get looked after by others. I know welfare is a dirty word around here, but that's the concept.

Except at some point there's not going to be enough "others" to do that - for pensions at least (and probably more).

According to MN there’s no such thing 🙄

Same.
I'd rather not live to 100 if the last 30 years are miserable

We will get state pension won't we? My mum hasn't worked for over 30 years and gets a decent state pension considering. It's only £100 ish than my dad who worked from 17 to 67. I imagine it's even more for pensioners who aren't married/alone too? The way I'm heading 😂

I don't think having more children is the answer when we don't even know what the future of the workforce even looks like. You can't just assume that children born now will pay for your retirement - we don't even know what jobs will be around 20 years into the future. Having a pyramid scheme to fund retirement is not the answer, however much it's being used now.
By the way I don't really know what the answer is, but I do think it's rather short sighted just to keep doing what has been done for the last 100 years in the hope that it will all work out.

That’s how is currently works, yes. May not be the case going forward though