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The Survey - perhaps Cari could ...

(43 Posts)
Riverwalk Wed 20-Nov-13 12:51:13

Pentillie 24% of 1002 would be 240 people (1002 participants).

Riverwalk Wed 20-Nov-13 12:48:21

Katgransnet recently said that GN had "tens of thousands of members" so that makes at least 20,000.

Based on this figure, just 1.2% of GN members think there should be an 'affluence test' on the basic state pension.

Anyone's free to correct my sums grin

whenim64 Wed 20-Nov-13 12:48:01

I will think twice before taking part in some Gransnet surveys now. I have no problem with targeting benefits and allowances towards those pensioners who earn less than £55k+, but quantitative surveys don't allow you to say what you would prefer to do i.e. include WFA in taxation, and provide a tick box in tax assessments for WFA to be donated to charity.

Janet Street-Porter - come out of your hiding place and talk to Gransnet! She's made a few disparaging remarks in the last week, calling some older people 'crumblies' and us 'do-gooders!' All references to people in the same age bracket as her angry

Pentillie Wed 20-Nov-13 12:43:11

Can Cari tell us the exact number (rather than a percentage) who agreed that means testing could be beneficial, and how many of those are actually yet in receipt of pensions or pensionable benefits?

LizG Wed 20-Nov-13 12:28:11

This goes to show how useless surveys are. Leave off the bits about £55k and respondents and you get a whole different meaning. Maybe it's better not to take part when our views can be misconstrued by the media.

CariGransnet (GNHQ) Wed 20-Nov-13 11:44:07

(so no - not popular and not something any of us want to see but if it does happen this is the way to do it...)

CariGransnet (GNHQ) Wed 20-Nov-13 11:43:30

River - this is being changed now - good point.

What I have made clear in all the interviews I have done is that no one wants to see cuts but if they happen the feeling is that the most important thing is that the people who rely most on the payments are not affected.

Ariadne Wed 20-Nov-13 11:36:05

Which, as far as I can see, wouldn't be at all popular!

Riverwalk Wed 20-Nov-13 11:09:57

But Cari in the graphic you twice use the words users rather than respondents, thus giving the impression that many more people are aupportive of means-testing.

The vast majority of GN members did not respond, so the percentage is in fact very low, but the press have picked up on the apparent fact that means-testing would be popular.

CariGransnet (GNHQ) Wed 20-Nov-13 11:06:55

Riverwalk

Nellie yes, that's exactly what I mean.

This is the survey infographic:

Survey

Sorry Riverwalk should have answered your question too. The answer is that I didn't say that per se. I can see how the confusion has arisen - it's probably easier for people to say gransnetters rather than "the gransnetters who took part in the survey."

Will certainly make this clear where we can.

CariGransnet (GNHQ) Wed 20-Nov-13 11:03:05

yourusername123

You could almost think that the government is trying to soften us up ready to accept cuts in the universal benefits, and using Gransnet to do it. Surely not?!

Is Gransnet an unbiased, non-political, company?

I wonder also if Gransnet HQ people have any links with editors of some newspapers.

Just for reference:

Yup - we are unbiased and non-political. Any links we have with journalists are used only through the correct channels.

We (GNHQ) are absolutely not calling for cuts - the point of this is that some politicians have suggested that pensioners' benefits are next in line for cuts. Should this be the case (and it seems at some point it will be) we wanted to know people's views on how they felt this should be done. And the consensus was (as the survey shows) that those on high incomes (for by any standards 55k and above is a very high income) should be the ones to be affected rather than those who are completely reliant on these benefits.

The survey was run via Gransnet and over 1,000 people took part. But the results represent the opinions of those people and not Gransnet HQ - our role in this is simply to report the findings. We are not - and never will be - puppets of any government or political organisation.

yourusername123 Wed 20-Nov-13 10:42:05

Would love to know the exact number of people signed up to Gransnet. Just out of interest.

Nonnie Wed 20-Nov-13 10:38:14

Nor mine Ana!

When was this survey, I didn't see it? Admittedly I don't come on every day but I would have expected something like this to run for a couple of weeks.

Ana Wed 20-Nov-13 10:31:51

None of the pensioners of my acquaintance have an income of nearly £60,000!confused

Riverwalk Wed 20-Nov-13 10:21:06

Nellie yes, that's exactly what I mean.

This is the survey infographic:

Survey

Nelliemoser Wed 20-Nov-13 10:15:37

riverwalk I didn't look at this survey.
Just to clarify, do you mean that it should say that "24% of those GNrs who responded?" That would make more sense of the 1000 or so respondents.

yourusername123 Wed 20-Nov-13 10:13:12

You could almost think that the government is trying to soften us up ready to accept cuts in the universal benefits, and using Gransnet to do it. Surely not?!

Is Gransnet an unbiased, non-political, company?

I wonder also if Gransnet HQ people have any links with editors of some newspapers.

Riverwalk Wed 20-Nov-13 09:41:11

..... explain why she is quoted as saying

"24% of Gransnet users think the state pension ..........".

Also, "Our survey shows quite a high level of support for means testing among Gransnet users ........."

when only 1002 members took part in the survey.