raising pension age

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

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).

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

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

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

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!

growstuff amen!

This

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.

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.

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?

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

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

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 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.

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).

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

GagaJo, None of us have paid for our pensions. We paid for our parents' and grandparents' pensions. Our children and grandchildren will pay ours.

We haven't even reach the population "bulge" yet, when the 1960s born children will reach pension age. The apparent surplus in the NI fund will be used up by them.

True, suzied. Norway put its oil revenues into a ring-fenced fund for pensions. The UK spent its oil revenues on (I'm not quite sure what).

In reality we all pay for the pensions of older folk throughout our working lives. There's no pot of money in reserve. I see no problem with paying in rather more (as long as our contributions are counted towards our entitlement). I think it's necessary with people living longer.

I do think it's very unfair and unrealistic to extend the working age further, though. People can choose to carry on working if they wish to and are in good health - but they shouldn't have to.

We, as a country, are 2nd from the bottom of 15 countries for poverty and poor pensions for the elderly. Its not a case of the government can't afford it, we don't have a magic money tree May once said and then found one to pay the DUP.

The money this government wastes is disgraceful, how many billions on Brexit and money is somehow found for any project that will help them stay in power.

Seiko70 it was me that had your post deleted. I was horrified that anyone with a brain could post such a post.

Which 15 countries? It's almost impossible to compare because we have a complicated mixture of private and state pensions and benefits. We also have free healthcare, which costs some others dearly.

The state pension on its own is actually very good value compared with any private scheme. I can't remember the exact figures, but people can reckon on receiving approximately double the amount they would if they'd paid into a private scheme. Obviously there are individual differences, which averages don't reveal because some people don't reach pension age. Apart from the wealthiest, most people will receive far more than they ever contributed, even accounting for inflation.

Growstuff I cant remember really, it was my husband who pointed it out and I just quickly read it. I do know it was in the Guardian and it was I believe European countries. When he gets back I will ask him if he kept the article and let you know.

It all depends how you interpret the figures.

This is a little out of date, but the figures won't have changed that much:

fullfact.org/europe/pensioners-eu-uk/

Different countries have different systems.

Moreover, they don't take into account that most people in the EU continue to pay for healthcare after retirement, either privately or through an insurance scheme.

NHS treatment for the retired potentially costs £thousands.