What is/was your attitude to pensions?

We both paid into a pension, although mine was for a much shorter time than DH's because I stayed at home to bring up the children. There were times when we really struggled but thought it was a good thing to do so continued and made savings in other things like, holidays, entertainment and even food. We have a good standard of living at the moment but some of our pensions are fixed and not inlfation proofed so we may struggle later.

I do feel that it is wrong not to include those of us who didn't get credits for the time we spent looking after our children in the new scheme where only 30 years of NICs are required.

I agree that those who saved towards a pension are penalised because they have saved. My FiL paid into a pension all his working life and was a bit better off than his neighbours who had always been out drinking and smoking. Their pensions were topped up by the state to about the same as his. That does seem to be grossly unfair.

In my last job the pension scheme was supported by the company and therefore well worth paying in to but most of the youngsters (accountants!) refused to join as they said there was no point. If they saved they would be no better off than those who didn't. I think a great many young people feel the same. Our 3 sons all pay into pension schemes but I sometimes wonder if I was right to give them that advice.

Your experience pretty much mirrors mine, tanith. I had a lot of part-time jobs all at the same time until we moved north and I got full-time work in further ed and my ex slung his hook! Fifteen years later, redundancy 18 months before I was due to retire, but at least I had a partial teacher's pension as well as a full state pension.

I only worked in bits an pieces jobs while my children were at school so no chance to save then, but did manage to work full time for 20yrs and got a small NHS pension when I was granted ill-health retirement at 58 , that smallish pension makes all the difference between surviving and being able to pay everything and manage to run my car and have a couple of breaks away each year.. I never gave pensions a thought when I was young and divorced in my 40's . I feel very sorry for those young people who can't even get a job never mind to save or pay into a pension I dread to think how they will all cope when their time comes .

We both paid into private pensions for years even though we would have been grateful for that extra money as the DCs where growing up,also I always paid the higher rate contribution for National Insurance so when ever I had a really good month (and there where many)in the New Homes sector I paid a considerable amount more depending on my earnings it also brought me into a higher tax bracket,in my opinion you where penalised for working hard and achieving your goals.We now have a good income which gives us a good standard of living and we can treat ourselves and DCs when necessary.What I do disagree with is the fact that now a lot of people cannot get on the work ladder through no fault of their own and will be unable to save towards their pensions in later life and the onus will then be put back on those who have contributed through their lifetime.

Exactly

I am in a pension scheme which I hope will pay out early as I'll soon have to retire through ill health.

Pension schemes are a necessity these days but it's hard to pay especially if you're on a low wage because there are always pressing needs on your money so I can understand why people opt out.

But I object to being penalised for having made sacrifices for my pension. My dad paid into a scheme (they did without some luxuries to pay for it) so mum gets a small private pension as well as a state pension. She isn't entitled to any benefits and pays tax. My aunt has no pension. She and my uncle went out drinking every weekend, drove a car when it wasn't the norm and went on holiday. She gets all sorts of benefits including housing and council tax so gets as much as my mum each month. To me it seems that my mum is being punished for being thrifty.

With my State Pension and work pension I'm fine. Not rich but more than enough to get by on and have treats. As for savings, even though it was hard when raising a family, we always put a liitle away. That's how we were raised.

What annoys me are those stay-at-home mums who have never, or hardly ever, worked, even when their children are at school and then moan that they don't get a full pension.

Fine, if they want opt out of work, that's their choice but jut don't expect those who have paid their contributions in full to sympathise. After all you can't have your cake and ear it.

I can hear the groans of protest already........