Insult or joke?

Oh I have known about it for ages. It has given me weeks and months to think what I shall do with it all, but of course now I am not going to get the winter fuel I dont know if I will live long enough to save it towards that!! I lie awake thinking of the choices , now not enough for a stamp, or even a visit to the public loos!!

£13? 😂

That puts in in a different light!

I'm even more excited now.

Yes, Allira, look on the bright side! You can buy a lot for £13, at Poundland.

😁

I don't get that yet, but one of my late husband's pensions has offered £1 a year, or £13 lump sum! I would have to send several ID docs( which will cost me more than £13). When he got the pension, they said I woukd get £50 month widow's pension. So it is a rip- off. I will complain when I am able.

Well as I am 80 this year can he wait until I get it before he gets rid of it. When I achieved 75 years they took away my free TV Licence. It seems every time I get to a milestone any benefit and £13 is better than nothing it somehow disappears.

It’s almost as bad as the disabled Christmas bonus. My son has been getting it for 30 years and it’s still the same as it was back then - £10.

Got mine in November last year! Took a family conference ages to try to decide what should be done with this magnificent increase to my pension! It is such a large amount that we are still trying to make sure that I use it wisely! 😂

I’m still arguing with the invisible people at the DWP/HMRC about how to prove I was in receipt of child benefit over 40 years ago. An unasked for 25p would be a start! As would a reply…..

Yes, got my letter too ! Family thought it was a joke !

I worked in what was the DSS in the early 70s. The extra pension then for over 80s was 5 shillings - 25p now. However the pension then was only a few pounds and an extra 5 shillings was worth having. Why it hasn’t increased in line with inflation is down to ALL the successive governments!

My husband gets his 25p in July beside himself trying to decide how to invest it !!

Enjoy your 80th Birthday present. A couple of my friends also received the same letter recently. They are wondering what to spend it on. It does add up to a meal at our favourite charity cafe if you save it all year.

Quizzer

I worked in what was the DSS in the early 70s. The extra pension then for over 80s was 5 shillings - 25p now. However the pension then was only a few pounds and an extra 5 shillings was worth having. Why it hasn’t increased in line with inflation is down to ALL the successive governments!

Correct! As I said above, introduced in 1971, it was specifically excluded from the statutory index linking provisions of the Social Security Act 1975 (Harold Wilson government) (now replaced by section 150 of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992) (John Major government) and now abolished altogether in the single tier pension (Tory/LibDem coalition).

Why send a letter,must give the increase on the annual summary each year. I suppiose that's too easy though.

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Allsorts

Why send a letter,must give the increase on the annual summary each year. I suppiose that's too easy though.

Mine was on the letter giving the general increase, I haven't had a separate letter.
I feel quite miffed! 😁

My 25p. changed my tax code so increasing the tax taken from me.

The increase in the State Pension means that I am now taxed on it and I now pay BR tax on my occupational pensions.

JamesandJon33

Gosh ! I am most terribly grateful for my 25p. I spend hours deciding how to spend it, or where to invest it. Endless conversations with DH as he has had 25p too.

Added together it’s a whole 50p! Spend it wisely 🤭

When I was a teenager, way back then, my mate received a letter from the dole office today she had been overpaid the princely sum of a 1/2 pence!
I had to see it to believe her. First class stamp, their usual brown envelope with window, and 2 sheets of paper to claim back half a penny from her next giro - she framed it!!

Welcome, glad you reached out. At age 5, kids can be deeply affected by family dynamics. Keep things simple, honest, and age-appropriate when talking to her. Stability and consistency are key. If there’s confusion around parental roles, it might help to gently clarify without overwhelming her. If possible, consider speaking with a child therapist, they’re great at helping kids make sense of complex situations in a healthy way.

Wrong thread milwaltm?

Worth hanging on to be 80 ain’t it just?😁

I think that most of you are just accepting the 25p extra you get on your pension when you reach 80 but I think it is insulting. When you see the money that the government gives to much less deserving people and we get 25p, it’s just awful.
Not related but I feel much angrier about the little pockets of enquiries into the Pakistani Rape gangs. The government are refusing a national enquiry where people would be forced to give evidence in favour of these few which aren’t anywhere near covering the towns where Pakistani gang rapes were and still are occurring. Little, mainly girls being raped and even worse if you can imagine and the government are only putting forward 9 million pounds for the enquiries but giving 107 million a year to Pakistan in Overseas Aid.
I can and do cry about the unfairness and injustice towards thousands of children who were and still are being raped and otherwise abused for often several years. Those poor,poor children.

Not even enough for a freddo bar these days😆