Retired folks get too much benefit

[Peter Page]

I do think sparksburntout raises a valid point. Benefits are for people on low incomes, sick, disabled or otherwise unable to support themselves. If the system functioned correctly and fairly, there would sufficient government funding to increase or improve the range of benefits.

Unfortunately, benefit fraud stands at £1.3 billion (Benefit fraud and error at record low - Press releases - GOV.UK - https://www.gov.uk/government/news/benefit-fraud-and-error-at-record-low), and whilst at its lowest level in recent years, is still a massive amount of money.

It would appear that 'means testing' might be counter productive (#14). So we need to rely on peoples honesty & benefit fraud investigation. As I mention early, some people have a different 'threshold' on what is dishonest & what is just getting back what their paid in to the system. When I am collecting my state pension, I wouldn't apply for a bus pass if I had a car, but I would consider help with my heating bills for example.

Perhaps if we perceive people are abusing the system and especially if they appear to be bragging about doing so, we should consider reporting them. My favourite pet hate, is the abuse of the 'blue badge' parking permit. I seen vehicles parking using the badge, where clearly the badge holder is not utilising the vehicle or the badge holder is parking a vehicle in a dangerous position, albeit one allowed under the scheme.

If anything has come of your thread sparksburntout, you're perceived as a twenty something tearaway
:mkungfu:

 

[Peter Page]

Sparksburnout and the other people that are agreeing with him are living in a dream world where they think they are hard done by and are the only ones that work in the world.
So do you have the latest phone? A nice Tele? A car? A Games Computer or even a Computer come to that? And I could go on......
Now I am not trying to say I was hard done by but most working class people have to start from the bottom and work hard to get anywhere, and it is normally the ones that work the hardest and go without when they are starting off that reap the benefits when they get older. It is hard, very hard to get on the housing ladder, but property only ever does one thing....it goes up in value. So unless one is stupid, go without for a few years (yes the latest mobile, computer etc., etc)., and get on the housing ladder. Yes it will be hard for many years, but you will never look back. But then of course when you get to retirement and are well off, be prepared for the young jealous kids who want it all straight away and are berateing YOU for having it cushy????
When I started off, I couldn't get enough money together until I was 30 to purchase a property. I did 3 jobs and worked all hours for years and years. The treat of the week was a packet of chocolate biscuits. I commuted on a push bike, lived in digs, did not smoke or drink and never went out or even had a take away. In the beginning of the 80's I was made redundant with a £1000 a month mortgage and nearly lost the lot because their were no jobs to be had, but I managed to get a job on the Taxi's and worked back up to where I am now.
I now have a rental that I renovated and extended and let out at a reasonable rent to help youngsters out, I am developing two properties one of which I built and the other I extended with no mortgage . I am 64 and have done all the trades including electrics myself with no help at all. Yes I still work my butt off and still hardly ever go out and live fairly frugally. When I hit the 65 retirement age, I will carry on with the projects I have but will definitely claim my pension as I have paid into it all my working life, and yes the winter fuel allowance will also be pocketed. As for a bus pass, I have a car and a bike so have no need for a bus until I can't drive any more.
The "System" is out there to be worked, so get off your butt, go without for a few years and work the system to your favour.
I can tell you it is far easier now to get on in life than it was 50 years ago. We have internet which opens up so many chances and information these days.....you don't know your born..........some call what you are doing "A Poor Me".........I wouldn't have believed it until I read your rant last night.

 

[Midwest]

I think you have the wrong end of the stick Peter. I must go and re read the OP, perhaps I have it wrong?

 

[7029 dave]

I do feel sorry for the younger generation.My kids are all in their mid 20's, two of them have kids. I like most have just missed out on the retirement age of 65 got to go a few more years.Buying my first house was a struggle back in the 80's, having said that you done without.On experience with my own children one is trying to get on the property ladder, but still wants holidays etc my point is in general the younger folk want it all.!

 

[snowhead]

Bus Passes, WFA, Tv Licences etc are nothing.
Sparksburnout may be horrified to find there is another "Benefit" of being over 65.

If you are still in employment you don't pay National Insurance Contributions.
That's a far more valuable than any of the O.P benefits.

How do I know this, I'm over 65 and still in employment.

And just to have a Gloat, I earn enough including a pension from my original employment, which I couldn't defer, to have to pay higher rate tax.
Yes, I pay higher rate tax on a Pension.

However on the Plus, I'm eligible for a Bus Pass but don't have one because I don't use buses or Trams. If I did use them then I'd have one.

So I suspect in Sparksburnout's point of view I should be sending what I would have paid in N.I contributions to the Dept for Work and Pensions.?

In fact worse than that I should give up work because I'm denying a younger person a job.

And by the way it was the 30 something year old Bankers that put the World into the state it's in now, NOT the Pensioners.

 

[Jonty]

The biggest drain on this country's is collectively, single mothers, drug addicts, alcoholics, NHS tourists, and the lazy, parasitic Can't work,Don't work,Won't work brigade. Plus the rising criminality as the direct consequence of the former.

All of the above is the culture developed by modern generations, not the older generation.

The better of pensioners would have paid into a pension fund, perhaps fuel allowance should be means tested, but so should family allowance, but neither would be cost effective.

 

[telectrix]

i'm 69 and still working as and when i get work. can't afford to stop when state pension of £90/week goes nowhere. tell you summat, any benefits i can grab, i'll take. 'er indoors paid into a private pension for years. pot worth £9500. 2 years ago, she was entitled to cash it in, but thanks to tony b.liar and the fat controller, she could only draw £2200 ( taxed ) so just under £2000. the rest forced into an annuity. she'll need to live to the age of 105 just to get back the £7500.

 

[Midwest]

I think there's too much 'looking back with rose tinted specs' or I should say the opposite of that. Had the same for myself in the early 80's with 15% interest rates and having a house with a mortgage I couldn't afford. If it wasn't for my parents securing a bank loan to supplement my very first mortgage, I wouldn't never been able to get my £15000 end of terrace!

They didn't have a flat screen tv or mobile phones, but did have a colour tv, a phone in the house, new car, Granny living in the spare room, freezer to put all my Dads home grown veg in, home made wine, side by side washing machine, food mixer & holidays abroad once a year (Costa something), oooh and Dads beers up the working mans club on a Sunday, with Mum cooking the Sunday lunch, where I joined him at 18. Happy Days.

We all have lived in a Country in which each generation does better than the previous.

 

[7029 dave]

The biggest drain on this country's is collectively, single mothers, drug addicts, alcoholics, NHS tourists, and the lazy, parasitic Can't work,Don't work,Won't work brigade. Plus the rising criminality as the direct consequence of the former.

All of the above is the culture developed by modern generations, not the older generation.

The better of pensioners would have paid into a pension fund, perhaps fuel allowance should be means tested, but so should family allowance, but neither would be cost effective.

Tell me about it, I see it every day on my rounds.!

 

[The Ghost]

The biggest drain on this country's is collectively, single mothers, drug addicts, alcoholics, NHS tourists, and the lazy, parasitic Can't work,Do

The biggest drain in this country are the "elected" politicians and their spending policies.

 

[Midwest]

'er indoors paid into a private pension for years. pot worth £9500. 2 years ago, she was entitled to cash it in, but thanks to tony b.liar and the fat controller, she could only draw £2200 ( taxed ) so just under £2000. the rest forced into an annuity. she'll need to live to the age of 105 just to get back the £7500.

If your still talking there was a rule change on annuities, she MAY be able to withdraw that lump sum now.

 

[Rpa07]

If your still talking there was a rule change on annuities, she MAY be able to withdraw that lump sum now.

Don't tell him that Midwest - he wants her to live to 105!

 

[telectrix]

If your still talking there was a rule change on annuities, she MAY be able to withdraw that lump sum now.

i know the rules changed, but i think that once it's committed to an annuity, it's stuck there forever, but i'll check.

 

[Midwest]

i know the rules changed, but i think that once it's committed to an annuity, it's stuck there forever, but i'll check.

There are a few caveats, like you might have to sell the existing pot on and take a bit of a hit, but ultimately you don't have to stick with the annuity now (something to thank Big Dave & Little George about ).

The pot is 25% tax free, then the rest is taxed at your highest rate, something to consider. Had a similar pot, and my projected annuity was £300 a year, think I had to live to 95 to break even. Mine went on paying off the mortgage.

 

[David M]

I must admit, my old man has often said he would hate to be young again this day and age. He see's the difficulties the modern generation face and openly admits in "his day" things were far simpler and easier. Ok they had no technology so to speak and lived simpler life styles. But the pace of life, thus the pace of working, was much slower and the cost of living cheaper. He had the energy to, if he chose to, work 2 jobs because it was easier back then, life is so fast paced now, people are far more stressed (these are his words not mine). He openly admits that when himself and my mother were both working full time, he could afford to bank all his wages and live off just my mother's wage. They could comfortably afford to pay the bills, mortgage, run a car and go on holiday all the while he paid a healthy sum into his pension and savings account. My father at that time was a pottery castor, my mother an admin clerk, both just average jobs. He could leave a job one day and walk into a job the next, no worries no stress. He paid £800 cash for his first house (no running hot water, toilet in the back yard). He saved up, did that house up and sold it, got a mortgage and bought the house he still lives in to this day for £7000.

Now retired, though not wealthy lives a comfortable life. He worries about his kids & grand kids and what future they face.