The NHS or The State Pension?

[concertplayer]

After the 2007/8 banking crisis the Government made it quite clear that
in the event of another crisis/recession there would not be enough public
money to support anyone without either closing the NHS or the State
pension.
Which would you prefer to keep the NHS or the State pension?

Hmm. Tough one. I think I'd go halfers on both.

They can't close the nhs one can they as all employers have to provide a pension now.

We need both. Most people's private pensions are small. If you were going to get rid of the state pension, you would need to give 40 years notice to ensure people could plan properly.
I am low waged, but have an occupational pension. I took it out years ago knowing it would help to improve my lifestyle as a pensioner, but that I still needed a state pension.
Without the NHS many people would never get to retirement age anyway. A close friend died of cancer this year at 45. Her treatment that prolonged her life must have cost a fortune.

The state pension was only ever intended to be a last safety net. It's not the government's problem to provide for old age. We are, and always were, expected to make our own provisions.

We provide for old age largely through occupational pensions, so of course the NHS pension scheme should continue.

So, do we leave you to die on the side of the road, or let you slowly starve, freeze etc?
The idea that there is a choice is frightening, maybe best to give everyone some Nembutal and be done with it.

We need slightly higher taxation, in which case the NHS has to become much less wasteful and more holistic and better managed. It needs to be run more closely along a continental model because I am sick of being made to feel grateful for something that is inadequate.

State pension must continue but alongside compulsory contributions into occupational schemes.

But they have said that either one or the other will have to go.
Unless of course Brexit proves to be what Leave has said it will be

• the path to greater wealth.

State Pension wise we only have half anyway. I mean £150 per week is not enough but I suppose if there are 2 or more incomes in the household then it is doable. Bearing in mind that many will also have equity in their homes either for retirement or to buy health insurance

I have looked at some of your responses again.
The choice is between the State Pension or the NHS -
not the NHS pension scheme

Neither. I'm sure there is more than enough money to fund both if the government really wanted to.

Many many people do not own their homes, many many people cannot work through disability. How do we decide what happens to these people?

When has that choice been made so clear. I don't recall?

By which minister? Sounds rather bizarre to me?

Is there a link for this?

It is a false choice. Now NHS or Trident choice I could get behind.

Labour was in power in 2007/08, so does it matter what they reckoned then?

Link to when "the govt" said we could only have one or the other?

Apologies My laptop went down Lost the link.

I don't believe that any politician (even Labour) would offer that as a straight choice. They might of been illustrating the potential impact on public funds of another recession at that time.
It's about time that the ponzi scheme that funds the state pension was sorted out.