What's being said about an over 50s lockdown?

[ssd]

Is dh kidding me on?

I think there'd be a lot of people who feel like Coldspringharbour provided they still get paid, so who's paying?

Nobody. Those of us who are in shielding households get nothing now it's paused, even though we are the first back indoors if there is a rise.

I wouid be aghast if they found money for a much larger population, when they did not do it for the most exceptionally vulnerable

State pension age is going up not down

Why over 50s though, why not overweight people as that has been shown to be a major risk factor? I know plenty of over 50s who are fitter and healthier than lots of fat, inactive people in their 30s.

Being cynical...I wonder if this is an attempt to subtly encourage employers to get rid of 50+ workforce and replace them with younger, cheaper workers given that youth unemployment will probably go through the roof.

Anyway, no-one would be forced to do it, in the same way shielding was a choice, people didn't have to shield.

I know neither, that's true of very many jobs, but we will see a huge divide. Public sector staff have continued to be paid throughout and of course some jobs are much easier to do from home .

It is not saying all over 50s just that some over 50s with health conditions may need to shield. Someone younger with same health conditions would not need to shield. It seems sensible to me to take age/weight/risk/how well the condition is controlled (ie individual assessment) into account and not just say everyone with diabetes (for example) should shield regardless of age.

@Dreamingofbeans

Start people’s state pension at 55. That way it will open up a load more jobs for people who are younger.

Where is the money supposed to come from to pay for state pensions from 55? Why should somebody of 55 be written off, and feel that they have to give up work at that age, with so much more to give? Why should they lose so much of their potential income?

I'm 32, not particularly young but I feel very much for young people, who are suffering most with unemployment right now. House prices, tuition fees etc. God knows if the state pension will even exist in 30/40 years time for them. But stopping people from working at 55 isn't going to help younger people with jobs. They aren't automatically going to be able to step into the jobs vacated by older people who have years of experience.

I'm over 50 and fitter than most people I know.

Of course there are many people in this age group who are more at risk but it's going to cause a massive upheaval if every over 50 has to stay home.

Ridiculous.

@Dreamingofbeans

Start people’s state pension at 55. That way it will open up a load more jobs for people who are younger.

I agree with this - there's no point in people working until they're 66 (when they don't want to work) and people in their 20s being unemployed.

It won't happen as a blanket policy and I'll be damned as a healthy 50 something if I'm staying locked away while an obese 30 something can go out. yes I went there so shoot me

@Dreamingofbeans

Start people’s state pension at 55. That way it will open up a load more jobs for people who are younger.

Not sure how that would work my DH is 62 state pension lol nowhere touching his salary

It's just one of a range of possibilities and scenarios. It might not happen ever.

I’m exactly 50 and am not fitter than anyone I know! I am peri menopausal, permanently exhausted and full of aches and pains. Just to counter all these “I’m 60 and fitter than a 30 yr old” posters
I’d take the assessment. But then I was fine during lockdown so it wouldn’t phase me spending more time at home.

Then I wouldn't be able to take my child to school - or collect. How is that supposed to work, exactly as I'll be fined for non-attendance, surely?

I’m very much over 50 and I won’t be spending months indoors again. I won’t go to pubs, restaurants or anywhere else like that, but I will probably end my life if I’m trapped again.

@painandmorepain

It is not saying all over 50s just that some over 50s with health conditions may need to shield. Someone younger with same health conditions would not need to shield. It seems sensible to me to take age/weight/risk/how well the condition is controlled (ie individual assessment) into account and not just say everyone with diabetes (for example) should shield regardless of age.

This is what I read too. I am mid 50s and figured that as I have no specific health issues that I would be low risk on this assessment; DH would probably be a little higher . TBF we are already being what I would describe as cautious in that we are arranging meet ups out of doors, or being careful to distance where this isn't possible. I WFH and will be doing so for a few months yet and DH is no longer working . So as long as this isn't something forced on us saying we can never go anywhere I think we are happy to remain cautious but assessing our own risk if we want to go somewhere

I can still WFH as a secondary teacher. Maybe this is a blended learning announcement build-up?

It’s certainly a build up to something

@Grottyfeet

I can't think what they're trying to achieve here. If over 50s get an "option" to lockdown, there's no way schools will be able to fully reopen. They must know that.

That's what I was thinking. Also, it's a fast way for blanket discrimination, who'd hire a person over 50 if they were recruiting right now?

I can't believe it. How many over 50s are not working? Maybe just our families and circles but our 60+ parents are still working.

Not that work is the only reason this is absurd, but I mention it as the economy seems to be the driving factor.

I am 52, was made redundant in March and am job hunting. I feel like whoever said this has made my job hunt even more difficult. I will be too old and too risky in the minds of some now. Shit!

Bugger that - but maybe I should get my roots done so I might pass as 49!
Funny how we're all healthy enough to work to 66 without a pension, though!
Now there's a thought - backdate the pension i should have been claiming for the past couple of years and I'll stay home.

Ffs. I'm 49, so not quite 50 but almost.
I'm fit as a fiddle, active, slim, never smoked etc
Obviously nobody knows how Coronavirus will hit them but I'm fairly confident I'd be ok!

Do we think it’s another test the waters announcement?

Dh is in his 50s and he worked out there’d only be 3 staff in his workplace if you took out the 15 over 50s and a few shielded people. Majority of them probably way lower risk than I am but I’m not eligible.

@Frazzled2207

People are massively overreacting here. Boris is considering a range of options should things get serious again. I’m no Boris fan but I’m pleased he is considering different options at least, sounds like a sensible plan. Doesn’t mean it will actually happen.

Although I do think they sometimes leak stuff to the media like this deliberately just to see how the media kicks off about it.

The ability to google news stories and actually read them seems to be majorly lacking today.

If this is a test to gauge public reaction the government might need to read this thread and improve the way they are getting the message across

@ssd

Is dh kidding me on?

To answer your actual question, NO, he wasn't having you on. But it's only one of many things being kicked around and I think it'll be an individual assessment not a blanket lockdown if it were to happen.

Presumably there'd be some kind if 'early pension' or 'lockdown payment' otherwise there's not much point in doing the assessments.

I'm 51, with T2 Diabetes, high blood pressure, long history of liver problems etc & I'm overweight. Despite what some judgemental twats think, my weight is due to my medical conditions, not vice versa. So whilst no one factor put me in the shielded group, my combined ones probably would, so I have been tightly locked down since early March. I was furloughed, but I'd have resigned if I hadn't been. Chances are I'll be made redundant as my job may no longer exist, depending on what happens with boarding schools...it's a 'wait & see' situation.

If I'm made redundant because my job no longer exists in 'the new world' I have no idea what I'll do, but stressing about it now will only make my medical issues worse, so I'm trying not to. I'm just staying locked down & trying to keep my diabetes under control (no medication). It is what it is. Not to sound too trite, but frankly, for me, Every day is a blessing ‍🤷🏻‍♀️