Call You and Yours: Curbing pensioner benefits

Didn't they used to say ' Dover for the Continent, Frinton for the Incontinent.'

Sel

What about someone who has inherited say £1,000,000 at 70.
They are in a nice position of they also have a £45,000 pension.

Frank

Greatnan , glad you said that , I was going to , but thought some be offended .[[laugh ]

Well Frank if they inherit a million, they really don't need a bus pass or a winter fuel allowance, concessionary fares, entries, prescriptions etc. From the radio programme it's obvious that some people rely on all these and are scared at the idea that it would be removed. There are no visibly poor pensioners in my neck of the woods and lots living in huge houses.

My sister goes to a Women's group where most of the members are pensioners. She says they all appear to be comfortable, but of course she doesn't know about the women who might choose not to join a group.

I know it is all good fun, but as long as anyone keeps replying I susect Frank will keep getting more and more extreme!

Greatnan

I am not extreme.
I have very moderate views.

Frank

Yeah, me too - ask anyone!

Keep posting Hunterf , you are a tonic .

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I looked at the notes I made while the programme was on. I made a mistake - he said "the median income for single pensioners is around £12,000 p.a." - so that isn't just the state pension but occupational/private pensions as well.

The drug companies will have to come up with a " legal" prescription drug to kill us off

Blimey, I have an above-average income!

Median figure - 50% are below and 50% above.

Yes, median indeed - and me a former maths teacher - slapped wrist.

That makes better sense, Eloethan. I must be above the mean though it doesn't feel like it.

Sorry, median. I never did get the difference.

Median - in the middle
Mode - most frequently occuring
Mean - average of all the numbers - often a nonsense, unless you have enough items. Otherwise, you could have people earning £10,000 and £30,000 and £500,000 and the average would be £270,000 which is nothing like any of them.

Absolutely Greatnan - politicians (of all colours) use median or mean depending on what suits their purpose.

Lies, damned lies, and..........

Famous quote from Churchill to Ian McLeod - when I ask for statistics on infant mortality, what I mean is statistics that prove that fewer babies died when I was PM than when anyone else was. That is a political statistic

I am passionate about people understanding at least basic statistics as they are so misused by so many!

So it could mean that an average income of £23,000 could also be correct if you add all the incomes together and divide it by the number of pensioners.
Even an average may not be representative.

Frank

In answer to your first sentence I would say yes - but it's not very likely, is it Frank? Not a nationwide average income. Maybe in your Close...

Ana

I am thinking of including extremes.
If say 9 pensioners are on £15,000 and 1 is on £1,000,000 per year you could say the average pension in that group is £113,500.

Frank