Osborne's Budget - looks like pensioners will lose out the most

Well, I don't know what planet you live on, nonu, but it isn't the same one as I do. Several years ago, Labour topped up the winter fuel allowance by £50 per year. This top-up has been discontinued by the present government, despite energy inflation. The age-related tax allowance for over-65s is to be frozen until the general tax threshold catches up with it. It's a 'lets fleece the pensioners' budget. Do they think we can't/won't fight back? So, nonu, you may well be able to afford your nice foreign holidays. Some of us will have to think twice.
JessM, I will be writing to my MP and to several Lib Dem ones of my acquaintance.

I have always voted conservative (hides under the table, scared) but I am disgusted with the way this lot have behaved. However, when it comes to voting next time.. who the hell do we choose?

I used to read the Daily Mail too (pulls tablecloth over head in fear) and Peter Hitchens always said they would show their true colours and he was right!

Going over to Mnet now to swear.

nanachrissie same here. Though if anything I'm a telegraph person. Simply because I like the crossword!

Yes ...there are always winners and losers

Yes ...we always whitter about the present government re-budgets

Yes ...we are the people who go out and vote ..."grey" power

Yes ...I think, they have 'shot themselves in the foot' There's a surprise

Yes ...Well done Geraldine ...keep it coming!!

Well, the media have done a very good softening up job, describing us as "the babyboomers" who never had is so good, with our big houses, our savings. So any attacks on our age group will be welcomed by some. And foreveryoung do not mention savings, it now seems it is nothing less than criminal to have savings. I have just been on the Gardian comment page, and it isn't pretty. This gvmnt is doing the old divide and rule routine and saddly it seems to work. Young (all layabout we know)agaisnt old(never had it so good), employed against unemployed( £26000 per year), abled body against disabled (cheats), healthy against the sick (cheats again). It is very sad, in one life we will certainly belong to a few of these categories.

sorry, me again. And the way Mr Osborne presented this as a simplification, as if we were unable to undestand the workings of a tax allowance going up with age! Patronising ...., the words fail me

nonu, sorry, but you obviously don't live in the same planet as the rest of us

"The basic state pension and earnings related pensions will be merged into one flat rate pension in early next parliament (2016). The proposed level is £140 a week based on full working history."
Does anyone know what this means to those of us who were full-time mums for the duration of our childrens' childhoods? (kittyp raised this earlier in the thread)
I have never really expected to get any state pension, as I took 18 years out of the job market to raise my children. I won't have any private pension as my expat husband managed to 'protect' his pension when we divorced.
I currently earn far too little to pay income tax, and envisage this being the case for as long as I continue to work, which I imagine will be until I drop.
My impact on the National Health Service has been minimal, and I have never claimed state benefits.
It would be comforting to think that the years of NI contributions I have made - about 24 years I reckon - might make me eligible for some sort of pension, but I really have no idea!

Whilst I have every sympathy with women who took time off work to raise a family (and let's face it, in years gone by it was quite common for women to "give up work" when they got married), I still think there should be some credit given for length of service, so to speak. I've worked since I was 17, with 18 months off when I had my daughter, and I don't see why someone who has never worked through choice or idleness should get the full £140.

(I may well have to share your tablecloth, nannychrissy!)

The Budget does nothing for Married Women pensioners who get the low Married Woman's rate of state pension. Often the lower percentage of their decent income they paid is greater than the minimum needed by a man to generate a full pension. These women were advised to pay the lower rate stamp and they never received any sick pay or unemployment benefit but expected a pension. The low pension they receive means that they do not get near using their personal tax free allowance. If they have saved and their husband has income they cannot claim means tested benefit and their savings generate very little in interest these days.
Husband may be paying tax and wife not using her allowance. This could be rectified if allowances could be shared between both members of a married couple.

Millionaires have done well but poor Grannies have been overlooked.

NanaAnna, if you were claiming a pension now, no matter what contributions you had paid, you would have your pension made up to a minimum guaranteed level by pension credits. I assume that this will be subsumed into the proposed £140.

That's how I understand it!

Quite - so no credit for having worked all your life, then?

Don't understand it. I think it all depends how much your income is? My finanancial adviser came round tonight on a different matter and he seemed to think so far as I was concerned it was neutral?
I don't understand it all,I leave it all to him and as my dd seems to approve of what he says. I leave to themM
So long as I have enough to spend on my cruises, I'm happy!

Message deleted by Gransnet.

So Anagram, do we take it that you do not regard being a full-time mother as a valuable role in society?
(She says, opening a can of worms)
Yes, I chose to be a full-time mother, and was very proud of it. I still regard it as the most important thing I have done in my life.
Should not society acknowledge the importance of the vital role mothers play in raising their children?
I'll sit back now and watch ...

I expect NannaAnna that hell will freeze over before any parliament (of whatever persuasion) will value mothers or fathers staying at home to bring up their children.

Now there's a novel idea ...pay mothers or fathers to stay at home to bring up their children ...then employ all those who are out of work in those jobs that become available !

Hello Newbie here. Just turned 60 so I think I'm ready. Agree with much of what you say here. It is time for babyboomers to bite back. Most of us paid 33p in the pound base rate of tax in our early working years, what we get now is our due not a handout!

journokim You have to hand over £20 to GNHQ funds to ask professional questions. See the "media and non-member requests" category.

JournoKim's post was deleted while I was writing the above.

NannaAnna, I just knew someone would ask me that! Did I say, or imply, that I didn't regard being a full time mother (or father) as a valuable member of society? I think I made it clear that in my opinion there is a distinction between those who have had to leave employment for family reasons, and those who have never worked or contributed to the pension pot because they were better off on the dole, or just didn't want to work.

This is an argument that has been going on for years! It has no resolution! I agree it is unfair , but no one will ever resolve it!
You would do better to try to get better allowances for OAPs than to argue on that theme!

Anagram at the risk of causing more unrest on here can I say I agree with you? I also worked while my children were small (for financial reasons) and I chose to pay a 'full stamp' as I thought this would be to my advantage in later years. I now feel I was conned and want a refund!!

Ref Grany Tax :Osbourne, if he continues in this vain, will lose out along with Cameron. We ALL have the power to change their attitudes

On the subject of being a stay at home Mum, I am 63 with 5 children and, when I claimed my pension, I was given credit for staying at home until my last child was 16 (I think) It is called something like 'Home responsibility' My state pension is actually higher than my husband's although he has worked since he qualified in 1967!

I'm going under the table too, with the chairs pulled in, as it seems to me that we 'greys' can't expect the rest of the country to suffer from cutbacks and not ourselves. The loss of the age allowance will only affect those with more money anyway. The new flat rate pension means that there will be no means testing to get Pension Credit (in all its forms). What I didn't see mentioned is the extra benefits which come with Pension Credit (free dental treatment, eye checks etc) Are they to disappear, I wonder?

My name is kitty and I'm a Tory voter (apart from a brief flirtation with the SDP and they sold out)!