Cut pensioner benefits 'immediately'

[rob murray]

No comment

Its off again, bottom right says I cant make new posts as BB code is on

[theone]

Ive no problems with means testing all benefits if you don't need them and have a reasonable income then I see no reason to lavish public money on you.

If a pensioner has shares, endowments and annuities then they count as income and are taxed accordingly contrary to popular opinion pensioners who go above the tax threshold pay tax, so they are still contributing back to the system.

It is only those who fall below the tax threshold that pay nothing.

What you are suggesting is that people who have paid to enjoy a higher standard of living in old age now be penalised for being frugal in earlier years while those who couldn't or didn't get the same from governement.

I have no problem with those who have always received a lower wage getting a state pension but you can't then remove any benefit from people who have invested into the same system and paid more in tax and national insurance all their working lives being penalised you then remove any reason for them to make provision for themselves.

When it comes to public service pensions I believe they should go to the private markets and buy and invest in their own pensions not rely on enhanced schemes supplied by the public purse.

There is no reason to keep public servants having final salary pensions which aren't available to the wider population.

So we agree to means testing state pension.

Good.

I'm not saying we should stop pensions tomorrow, leaving those who have planned for years for that income.

But we should be starting to phase it out now.

We're up to our necks in debt and need to cut costs.

Public money handed out willy nilly to those who don't need it is a good place to start. Nobody should receive public money solely because of their age.

[rob murray]

So we agree to means testing state pension.

Good.

I'm not saying we should stop pensions tomorrow, leaving those who have planned for years for that income.

But we should be starting to phase it out now.

We're up to our necks in debt and need to cut costs.

Public money handed out willy nilly to those who don't need it is a good place to start. Nobody should receive public money solely because of their age.

Yep, why pay non means tested "services" to people on the basis of age ( free bus passes etc ) all that malarkey should be means tested...but come on....who ran the debt up...not the tax / NI payers directly, it werent me guv so why should I suffer, they took my dosh I cant stop them doing that ? .....sure public sector pensions need drastically over hauled as thats what is dragging us down.

[BetterTogether]

So we agree to means testing state pension.

Good.

I'm not saying we should stop pensions tomorrow, leaving those who have planned for years for that income.

But we should be starting to phase it out now.

We're up to our necks in debt and need to cut costs.

Public money handed out willy nilly to those who don't need it is a good place to start. Nobody should receive public money solely because of their age.

I agree it's time we means tested all benefits across all sectors and need to change the view of relative poverty. You're either living in poverty or you're not, claiming to be in relative poverty is just a term bandied about by a certain section wanting to see unlimited benefits and their jobs usually public or third sector secured.

[rob murray]

I agree it's time we means tested all benefits across all sectors and need to change the view of relative poverty. You're either living in poverty or you're not, claiming to be in relative poverty is just a term bandied about by a certain section wanting to see unlimited benefits and their jobs usually public or third sector secured.

What in your opinion is relative poverty.....just asking like ?

[BetterTogether]

Well Rob if I was living in an area surrounded by Multi Millionaires and earning £50k a year one could argue that I was relatively living in poverty compared to them, I fully accept that's a somewhat flippant example but was used purely to show how flexible the term is. The term is used as relative to the average in this nation so in reality we have no one living in absolute poverty which is a totally different concept as I'm sure you'd agree.

[rob murray]

Well Rob if I was living in an area surrounded by Multi Millionaires and earning £50k a year one could argue that I was relatively living in poverty compared to them, I fully accept that's a somewhat flippant example but was used purely to show how flexible the term is. The term is used as relative to the average in this nation so in reality we have no one living in absolute poverty which is a totally different concept as I'm sure you'd agree.

To me absolute poverty is being homeless, living on the streets, with no benefit / dole money, raking in bins for food, and living on yer wits to survive. Thats absolute, relative poverty.....where do you start or end ?? Found below on The Poverty site

Relative poverty refers to a standard which is defined in terms of the society in which an individual lives and which therefore differs between countries and over time. An income-related example would be living on less than X% of average UK income.

[rob murray]

Well Rob if I was living in an area surrounded by Multi Millionaires and earning £50k a year one could argue that I was relatively living in poverty compared to them, I fully accept that's a somewhat flippant example but was used purely to show how flexible the term is. The term is used as relative to the average in this nation so in reality we have no one living in absolute poverty which is a totally different concept as I'm sure you'd agree.

Thats me !!! Im surrounded by Ross shire millionaires, so Im in poverty ( comparitive poverty )

[BetterTogether]

To me absolute poverty is being homeless, living on the streets, with no benefit / dole money, raking in bins for food, and living on yer wits to survive. Thats absolute, relative poverty.....where do you start or end ?? Found below on The Poverty site

Relative poverty refers to a standard which is defined in terms of the society in which an individual lives and which therefore differs between countries and over time. An income-related example would be living on less than X% of average UK income.

There you go farcical if it wasn't take so seriously, by that theory despite the whole nation getting wealthier you will always have relative poverty it's a self fulfilling prophecy each generation believing despite having nice warm homes,good food,plasma TVs, computers and satellite and the latest Nike trainers they are living in poverty.

Thats me !!! Im surrounded by Ross shire millionaires, so Im in poverty ( comparitive poverty )

i truly feel for you.

[rob murray]

There you go farcical if it wasn't take so seriously, by that theory despite the whole nation getting wealthier you will always have relative poverty it's a self fulfilling prophecy each generation believing despite having nice warm homes,good food,plasma TVs, computers and satellite and the latest Nike trainers they are living in poverty.


i truly feel for you.

Isnt it just !!!! Thanks for the sympathy vote its heart breaking to be surrounded by top of the range mercs......................

[BetterTogether]

Isnt it just !!!! Thanks for the sympathy vote its heart breaking to be surrounded by top of the range mercs......................

i suppose you find yourself ground down by the capitalist oppression and only able to afford an Audi as you scrape by

[rob murray]

i suppose you find yourself ground down by the capitalist oppression and only able to afford an Audi as you scrape by

Nope we are all capitalists and Ive a passatt................................used to have an Audi though, pretty crap car as it turned out, loads of problems, passatt touch wood fine !

[BetterTogether]

Oh ! You drive a VW Passat would this be a picture of you by any chance ?

[rob murray]

Oh ! You drive a VW Passat would this be a picture of you by any chance ?

Yep thats me, a good photo eh !!!! Got a letter in yesterday from VW offering re assurances and when theyre ready free remedy for the emission issue !!!

[BetterTogether]

So it's carry on polluting !

[rob murray]

So it's carry on polluting !

ARe you implying that VW garage sold me a car with higher than advertised emmissions....surely thats fraudulent misrepresentation....

[BetterTogether]

I miss my days of company cardom. Pick it off a list, no servicing charges,no depreciation, changed every 3 yrs and no fuel worries stick it all on the company card. Life was easy back then

[Fulmar]

I miss my days of company cardom. Pick it off a list, no servicing charges,no depreciation, changed every 3 yrs and no fuel worries stick it all on the company card. Life was easy back then

Shhh.....You'd better keep this one quiet. Weezer will have an absolute fit!

[BetterTogether]

Shhh.....You'd better keep this one quiet. Weezer will have an absolute fit!

Oh crikey you're right he'd be apoplectic if I mentioned it was Mercedes 300.

Mind with the amount of tax and N.I I was paying at the time I feel no shame.

[rob murray]

Oh crikey you're right he'd be apoplectic if I mentioned it was Mercedes 300.

Mind with the amount of tax and N.I I was paying at the time I feel no shame.

If your emplyer allocates a company car to you its for business use.... you know........... to help progress the business and its a taxable benefir in kind so more taxes paid to prop up the system