Kay Burley on State pension

That should be Burley.
I am looking for the item now .

Of course she doesn’t need it. I’m sure she’s very comfortable.…🤔

I wish she would keep her nose out.
She’s one of the biggest hypocrites on the planet.

MT62

I wish she would keep her nose out.
She’s one of the biggest hypocrites on the planet.

Well said completely agree

I must admit I don’t watch many news programmes and don’t know who she is but in the clip I saw she came across as opinionated and very sure of herself.

Who is this woman? Maybe she doesn’t need her state pension, (isn’t she the lucky one), but most of us do, even those with small work place pensions. If she’s got millions in the bank then no, she probably doesn’t need it. The vast majority of us do not fall into that category.

Burley was on BBC Politics Live saying this.

She has the option not to claim it.

The problem with any means-testing where the means test is set.

There is always a cliff edge and there is always unfairness.

It happened when government decided to means test the Winter Fuel Payment. That’s now been tweaked but is now unfair to single householders - of which there are an increasing number - once people reach SP age.

Means testing child benefit is unfair to single parents.

Well I need mine and they better not stop the triple lock either. I suppose plenty very rich people don't need it but they have probably paid thousands in tax over the years.

I get heartily sick of the amount of press coverage which seems to blame the countries financial woes on the title lock pension. It seems pensioners are a soft target and we are all living the high life on our wonderfully huge pensions.

Exactly, she can defer claiming it indefinitely if she feels so strongly that she doesn’t need it. I’ve listened to the interview and feel she is yet another one with plenty of money trying to dictate how the rest should get by.

I can't imagine that happening. I know it's the Australian system, but the mindset is different here, and we've been used to free NHS and education to secondary level, so it would be very unpopular. Pensioners already pay a lot for care if we need it - singling out pensions to be cut would be very unpopular, and when younger people realised the impact on their likely inheritance, some of their prejudices might dissipate, too.

Further, whilst most of us are fully aware that money doesn't go into a personal 'pot', it is also the case that most of us have paid 8% of our income into NI contributions that we were told decades ago would mean we would get a state pension when the time came. It would be politically ruinous to take the pension from those who'd paid in and give it to those who didn't. People have planned their retirement based on getting a SP, so removing it on the basis that people have also paid into occupational pensions or have saved would make a huge difference to their lives - there would be massive repercussions for anyone trying to do that, particularly as the raise in women's pension age is still a hot potato.

I think the triple lock will go, but I also think that before it does there will be a sweetener of some sort - maybe a link to wages, so the pension sits at a percentage of the average wage.

I’m a bit worried as I’ve only recently retired and keep reading the well off know it alls especially in the media saying scrap the triple lock. Ok do it but don’t leave us behind that’s all I’ll say. They’re quite prepared to give money for other causes and other countries but as my old dad used to say. ‘ look after your family first’

In a stable economy here should be little difference between earnings growth and CPI (which is sometimes higher than earnings growth anyway).

It’s only the basic element of the pension which is triple locked not additional state pension (SERPS) which is only increased by CPI even if earnings growth is higher.

The most any pensioner could receive this year because earnings growth in 2025 was 1% higher than CPI was an extra £2.30 a week. After tax that is £1.84. Most would not have received that.

Are millionaire broadcasters really begrudging pensioners a rise that wouldn’t pay for a decent loaf of bread?

Are they saying that pensioners shouldn’t be protected from inflation?

Good reasoned post Doodledog rather than a knee- jerk reaction.

MT62

I wish she would keep her nose out.
She’s one of the biggest hypocrites on the planet.

I agree with you and I think it really depends on where that “line” is drawn and actually if that’s the case, surely the proportion high earners in via NI earmarked for pensions, which I’m aware isn’t ring-fenced nor personalised, should be refunded to those deemed to longer be eligible?

I, personally, don’t think state pensions should be means tested!

Ziplok

Who is this woman? Maybe she doesn’t need her state pension, (isn’t she the lucky one), but most of us do, even those with small work place pensions. If she’s got millions in the bank then no, she probably doesn’t need it. The vast majority of us do not fall into that category.

In that case she could/should have declined claiming it!