raising pension age

Higher taxation for the better off in countries such as Denmark pay for pensions and health care.

Whitewave, Most people in most European countries contribute more to their pensions throughout their working lives. They also pay for healthcare when they reach pension age. They don't pay more in countries such as Greece, which is one of the reasons Greece is in financial difficulties (apart from dodging taxes).

I am 75 now and have difficulty walking to the bus stop. I have been like that for the last 10 years so no way could I have been working in a physically and mentally demanding job five days a week.

Totally unrealistic to work into your 70s...ok if you are the fortunate fit but many by this time are showing signs of wear or who are ok to look after themselves and maybe other family members who are not so well. So if we lose our jobs in our late 60/70s we may have to rely on unemployment benefit. Just enough to keep body and soul together. What a heartless government typical of those who have no knowledge of the real world of work who live in their own privileged land of cloud cuckoo.

I wonder how European countries manage to pay a better pension to their older folk? Presumably the same demographics.

Shell out?. You mean, let us draw the pension we've paid for?

The fact of the matter is that under current economic conditions the country ie us can't afford to shell out for 20+years after retirement and fork out for health and social care unless there is a huge increase in taxation/national insurance etc.
How else do people think earlier retirement can be funded?

Those who are lucky enough to enjoy good health may wish to continue working and already do. Many jobs are hard on the body and do not lend to extended working. I think this is a diversion to try to stop us worrying about Brexit. What a mess we are in as a country now with a lot of wealthy Torys deciding to deny our ability to enjoy our later years.

It is outrageous. Perhaps for the likes of IDS and the politicians above who can fall asleep at work without fear of reprimand, many employees have physically and mentally demanding jobs and little control over their workload and working conditions. Not everyone lives to a ripe old age and to extend working lives to 70 or 75 will mean that some people won't even reach retirement.

This

growstuff amen!

Many wives and children? Really? I don't think so.

Are you not aware that most newly arrived immigrants are young, fit and want to work? They're the ones paying taxes and NI towards current pensions. Without them, pensioners would be in an even worse situation.

What an ignorant post!

Seiko70 1) Reported. 2) Overt and unacceptable racism.

Message deleted by Gransnet. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

I’m a nursery teacher and 59:I couldn’t do this till 70 definitely not!

There are also years when you may not have been working but you received Child Benefit or Carer's Allowance. They count towards your pension too (Thank Heavens).

Oh, my mistake. I thought you'd been/are a teacher, in which case you would probably have paid into the Teachers' Pension scheme.

No teachers pension. Just state pension.

You need 35 years of paying NI without any contribution to an occupational pension.

If you've been working in state schools and paying into the Teachers' Pension scheme, you possibly don't have enough for a full pension, so those years will count.

I will have a total of 47 years of contributions, but I still won't be eligible for a full state pension because I paid into an occupational pension scheme. Therefore, I still pay NI contributions which boost my future payments.

If you haven't already done so, check your pension entitlement with Government Gateway.

growstuff, because I already had enough contributions for a full pension. And to be honest, I don't think I'll be around much after 67, if I make it that far.

How do you work out that you wasted your money? Every full year of NI contributions is worth something over £4 a week.

I feel the same GagaJo!
At least we don't live in South Africa though. My opposite number Gran lives there. She contributed to the pension scheme and finally reached the right age to claim it. It wasn't much after all the years the equivalent of about £100 a month. When she went along with the forms to claim it she was just turned away and told that as she had a house she had no right to claim a pension. There's no appeal. Just nothing.
Our governments may not be terrific but at least things aren't like that here.

I continued to pay NI voluntarily while living overseas to protect my pension, despite there being no legal requirement to do so. I wasted my money.

Without wanting to be overly pessimistic or too much of a drama queen, a big part of me is glad I'm getting on in age. Pensions, right wing governments, climate change, losing access to health care and education. The world is sliding towards destruction and no one seems able to stop it. At least I'll only have a few more years to endure it.

I agree with most of what you've written, Gagajo. Unfortunately, I just don't trust Corbyn to keep his promises. In any case, he hasn't ruled out increases in taxes and NI to fund a pension age status quo.

For the record, I wouldn't want to increase the state pension age by much (if at all), but I do think people are going to have to contribute more.

Some people point to the higher pensions in countries like Germany, but I wonder if they're aware how much Germans contribute to their pensions.