Waste of taxpayers' money

MamaCaz

I've just read this thread too, hoping Margaret decides to return, because it's a very interesting subject.
The most blatant misuse of public money , imo, is the use of pension contributions for many other things, including paying off the national debt.
Most people think these contributions are a sort of savings scheme for their old age. Their own little pot waiting for them. Which I think it used to be.
But it's not now, and the govt. OAP is really just another benefit.

JessM Hi can understand this, don't want to end up like the speakers wife! Thanks for explaining.

LizG Hi sorry if my reply to your post upset you but I was upset myself that you had commented on a post of mine but hadn't read the OP or previous posts by other posters.

I do not care whether someone is gay or not, it's never bothered me, or the colour of a persons skin.

The only thing that bothers me is politicians, whether they are Conservative, Labour or LibDems, or Government Departments misusing our money.

TriciaF Hi I am sure Margaret will return.

Personally I don't look upon the State Pension as a benefit, but as a right. We were told if we paid our contributions years ago we would receive a State Pension when we retired and could not work anymore.

I agree with you ninny we paid in all those years and now we seem to come under blanket terminology which implies we are being given something for free! We feel that over our working years we paid in an awful lot for the general good, far, far more than we ever took out and deserve our state pensions. In fact we are still paying in far more than we take out!

Pleasure ninny

Nick Robinson explains it all here
In fact nonnie it is only the very rich who pay in a lot more than they take out.

i do not understand Nick Robinson's system. He asks how much I get before tax is taken off, then tells me my disposable income is 25% more than I am getting in. It's not possible.

jane do you think I'm very rich?

I can honestly say that we have put in much more than we have taken out. You may be right as a generalisation but all such are just that.

I have no idea of your financial situation nonnie nor was I referring to you.

You stated 'we feel that over our working years we paid in an awful lot for the general good, far, far more than we ever took out' and that reminded me of Nick Robinson's programme a couple of years ago, when he showed that contrary to popular belief, it is not just those on benefits who gain from the welfare state.
I just thought others might be interested, so I found the link.
jen I can't comment on your situation either.

I looked at Nick Robinson's tax and benefit calculator and could not make head nor tail of it, which is a pity, as I thought it would throw some light on the widely trumpeted claim that older people are a financial burden on society. Like many I had, and still have, no choice but to pay direct and indirect taxes all my life, not to mention NHS, pension, rates, car tax, etc., etc. Now I have lost track of the revenues accruing to government from each of those sources but with a population of 60m+ the totals must be colossal, as is the expenditure.

I'm going to have to do much more analysis of all this, if only to try and blow away some of the clouds of political fog which surround us, which I suspect are highly selective and, of course, always politically motivated. However, I'm still grappling with the minefields M1, 2, 3, 4 etc., and all that other fiscal flim-flammery, but now I feel the need of the comfort of a nice cup of tea and gingernut. The search will then go on, as they say about the sugar man's apprentice, but in my case much more slowly.

jane just as a matter of clarification the reason I thought you were referring to me was because you named me

I was just answering your point , nonnie

"I have no idea of your financial situation nonnie nor was I referring to you."

But never mind!