To think we can't afford the triple lock

[paddleboardingmum]

Things seem very weighted against young people right now in terms of tax, student loans, and then there's the cost of mortgages and childcare. I know there are some older people struggling and I do feel sorry for them. But plenty are not and I think we just can't afford the triple lock at the moment. AIBU

Any solution that starts "Just" generally misses any nuance, intelligence, or effectiveness.

They can apply for Pension Credit, if only relying on SRP.

The housing market needs to be addressed first.

Cost of housing and the mortgage burden to get on the ladder is out of control.

We can't keep slicing from other areas to prop up an over inflated housing market indefinitely. It's just not sustainable.

The sacred cow that is property value needs to be adjusted to more sustainable levels or the house of cards will collapse.

This ain't an argument sunshine

"Uneducated people" like the left wing and Europhile economist and former Greek Finance Minister Janis Varoufakis, you mean ?

unherd.com/2026/07/dont-fall-for-project-smear-mr-burnham/?set_edition=en&tl_inbound=1&tl_groups%5B0%5D=18743&tl_period_type=3&utm_source=UnHerd+Today&utm_campaign=1cd2f0f4b6-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2026_07_23_10_02&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_79fd0df946-1cd2f0f4b6-75148631

Yay...another scrap the triple lock thread 🙄

And for those just about to hit pension age, or just started?
When I started work, I was supposed to retire at 60. Then it increased to 65 and now it's 67. Planning for that has been bad enough. How are those on low wage jobs supposed to magic up private pensions at this stage of life?

Stop the triple lock for those who have time to plan for it.

Sorry - wrong post quoted, but can't delete it!

Everyone has paid in with NI should get some level of contribution back .it should be somewhat equal to what they paid in .but mostly everyone needs a private nest egg

Its basic economics. All politicians have known this for a very long time but are too scared of the backlash from the public who don't understand it properly.
I dont disagree with taxing billionaires more though!

Cut pip significantly and don’t allow entire families to live feral lives on benefits.

Things seem very weighted against young people right now
One day you, too, will be old.

Thanks for the laugh. 😆

Unfortunately, that is a fairy tale solution. EU countries are also facing similar pension crises as the UK. France and Germany are two prime examples.

I doubt the the UK rejoining likely to help, them or us.

Those who contributed with NI are those who have worked all their lives and are, in the most part, those who have managed to accumulate a nest egg or private pension. Most people have paid NI.

Those who have not paid NI are mums who stayed at home and those who are not legally employed for whatever reason. They are generally the ones who have neither NI contributions nor a private pension or nestegg. Do you expect them to starve on the streets?

A good place to start would be to require 40 NI contributing years for a full pension, rather than 35. People generally start work at 16, 18 or 21 so all are capable of putting in 40 years NI.

It is. The pension you get depends on how much you have contributed.

Cost of childcare? I never got one free hoyr of childcare, now they get upto 30 hours per week. Even dentists who get a massive part of their income paid in dividends rather than salary.
Please explain.

Trouble us, mostly, they've left the UK

The average life expectancy is 83 for women and 79 for men. We cannot afford to pay pensions for nearly 20 years. Especially when in many cases care costs will be funded by the taxpayer too. NHS costs/ attendance allowance/ winter fuel/disability/care homes. It’s a huge amount of money.

I don’t know what the answer is though. There’s just not enough money and we are all fighting over it (school/defence/nhs/elderly.) Oh wait- tax the rich! And by rich I mean mega rich, over £20 million rich. Corporations that avoid paying tax.

Foreign aid, most of which is in trade arrangements and not cash (RW lies), would only cover a tiny proportion of the pension benefits burdon. Likewise, the support for immigrants (most of whom are working, if allowed).

Proportionately, we have the lowest state pension in Europe, so the triple lock is a good thing for narrowing that gap. However, perhaps there should be a revision to the state pension, so it is a 'top up' on a private or workplace pension which stops at a particular threshold (eg somewhere between £40k - £50k). This would mean that those that really don't need it, don't get it. It could perhaps taper like child benefit.

Every time one posts an opinion in answer to a Mumsnet question, it does not invite a seminar from those who think they know better. Write an article.

Don't work low wage jobs your ENTIRE life then? Learn some skills? Go into an interesting profession that challenges you.

Not really. You can contribute zero and be eligible for pension credit.

It is a benefit. And accounts for about 50% of the country’s welfare bill.

No one is talking about removing pensions, it’s the rate of pension increase that the triple lock guarantees.

The majority of us need to take some personal responsibility for saving for the future.

I can't blame disabled people for being disabled. It's not their fault

I have two degrees, multilingual, and am highly skilled in a trained job, but it has become low wage over the years, now just above minimum wage. The equivalent salary value has halved in that time.