Pensioner poverty

I didn’t mean to suggest that ALL pensioners should get it Casdon!

Surely we don’t begrudge those on pension credit who can only get a maximum top up to £2 a week less than the current SP £179?

I found out that the STATE pension paid in Luxembourg is an avg of €3-4000 per month. I was told this last month by my stepson who has lived there for several years. I was so surprised I googled it. Having been there and seen free weekend travel for all and the high standard of living I feel the U.K. (and others) have contributed a lot more to this gravy train than we have got back.

My parents were incredibly lucky. By the time they retired they owned their house outright, sot no rent to pay. They also had a very generous index linked pension plus state pension. This generation, called Generation Rent, won't have any of these comforts and with job insecurity are unlikely to have a nice fat index linked pension. I really don't see why pensioners think they deserve special treatment

I’d assumed the fuel bill support in Wales was not offered to pensioners because they can already apply for the winter fuel allowance, which is up to £300 Pantglas2, and that isn’t available to those on benefits who are under pension age?

MaggsMcG

So you all think that another party in Government will make a difference? I doubt it very much. All it will do is shift the poverty. Either one way or the other. The working/tax paying public will.srill.gave to pay. All politicians are the same. What they say in their election manifesto rarely gets done after the first year of their governance. Both parties are the same.

Correct Maggs.

Here in Wales the Labour FM has promised £100 to all on Income Support, JSA, ESA, UC and WTC to help with fuel bills this winter, excluding pensioners on Pension Credit!

MaggsMcG

So you all think that another party in Government will make a difference? I doubt it very much. All it will do is shift the poverty. Either one way or the other. The working/tax paying public will.srill.gave to pay. All politicians are the same. What they say in their election manifesto rarely gets done after the first year of their governance. Both parties are the same.

No that is entirely incorrect.

In 1996 41% of pensioners were in poverty after 10 years of the Labour government it had dropped to 18%.

So you assertion is incorrect.

So you all think that another party in Government will make a difference? I doubt it very much. All it will do is shift the poverty. Either one way or the other. The working/tax paying public will.srill.gave to pay. All politicians are the same. What they say in their election manifesto rarely gets done after the first year of their governance. Both parties are the same.

I agree that the government really have no idea what it is like to have to rely solely on the state pension...and I have never before seen the high percentage increase in food and fuel especially heating that we are now experiencing.

Our pension is one of the worst in developed countries. However, Covid has caused a huge increase in spending for things like, for example, the Furlough scheme and the vaccination programme and the amount of money owed for these is eye watering.

We don't 'owe' an eye watering amount of money, Lilyflower. It's a convenient myth exploited by the government to avoid public spending.

But if you persist in believing it could you tell us who we 'owe' it to?

Would you swap with your friend red1?

i worked until ill health stopped me,i bought my own house,and now retired at 66.I find the prospect of heating my home and maintaining it a headache.A friend of mine lives in a local authority flat has 24/7 heating for £10 a week and has no worries about repairs etc .i often wonder why i worked so hard for a home?! If i have to go into care then there's my house gone, who is the fool?

Susieq62

My concerns are for those on a state pension only who have to pay rent. Yes I know there is housing benefit plus pension credit but these do not cover the whole amount. What people forget is that those with the least spend the most because they have no choice. They cannot save , replace items, etc because their income is taken up with keeping warm, fed, clothed etc. Those who earn the most contribute less to local economies.
We have the lowest state pension in Europe and if you don’t have a company or private pension, life is tough.
I am not bothered about paying back the money “ borrowed” or “ created” to sustain us through the darker days of the pandemic . I want the government to invest in infrastructure, skills, training, projects to benefit all . It is an ideal time to be pro active, creative and seize the initiative. I very much doubt my hopes will be realised!

I echo your sentiments.

Songstress
Is your friend on the Guarantee credit element of Pension Credit. She can receive £340 per year towards her heating.
This would help in the colder months.

Sorry GagaJo to hear that you have no teaching pension provision. I can understand your concern now.

Sorry, government, not hover. Should have gone to Specsavers. Autocorrect is unbelievable sometimes.

Our pension is one of the worst in developed countries. However, Covid has caused a huge increase in spending for things like, for example, the Furlough scheme and the vaccination programme and the amount of money owed for these is eye watering. Sharp increases in fuel prices and food are the result of external Covid related global pressures. Gas prices have risen because China, undergoing a worse economic crisis is buying up the liquid gas supply at a very inflated price so supplies are going there - to the highest bidder, instead of its usual destination, the UK.

And so on. I deprecate the ending of the triple lock but I feel it is essential to keep tabs on global political, economic and social trends during the pandemic in order to contextualise events in this country.

There are an awful lot of pensioners. A rise costs more than a couple of bob down the back of the sofa and perhaps the hover feels the money is needed for other groups too.

My elderly mother was not well off so she had subsidiary benefits, housing costs met, attendance allowance, a fuel subsidy and, finally, completely free state residential care so she did not have to rely entirely on her pension.

My concerns are for those on a state pension only who have to pay rent. Yes I know there is housing benefit plus pension credit but these do not cover the whole amount. What people forget is that those with the least spend the most because they have no choice. They cannot save , replace items, etc because their income is taken up with keeping warm, fed, clothed etc. Those who earn the most contribute less to local economies.
We have the lowest state pension in Europe and if you don’t have a company or private pension, life is tough.
I am not bothered about paying back the money “ borrowed” or “ created” to sustain us through the darker days of the pandemic . I want the government to invest in infrastructure, skills, training, projects to benefit all . It is an ideal time to be pro active, creative and seize the initiative. I very much doubt my hopes will be realised!

I'm making the equivalent of a full time (lowish) teachers wage now. It helps that I'm an examiner, it's a selling point. But it's a lot of hours.

Of course, nothing like as stressful as being a full time teacher!

Gagajo I'm 66 and I still have to do private tuition. Having a pension pays rent and essential bills, but the tuition pays for anything extra, such as clothes or going out. I lost most of my students when exams were cancelled, but it's picked up a bit now. I actually enjoy the few hours I do. Work out how many hours of work the state pension is worth and aim to make up the difference with a bit of tuition.

Urmstongran

GagaJo

They can't afford to spend on the country AND pay for all the bungs to their mates.

I'm worried about working post 60. I get no pension until 67.

Won’t you be eligible to draw your teaching pension at 55y GagaJo? That what my friend did. Plus a little private tuition saw her through nicely until she collected her state pension at 64y.

No teaching pension UG. I couldn't afford my share of the payments when I was younger, due to my ex husband not paying any child support.

I'm swimming in online private tuition, but it's bl**dy hard work. Not sure I'll be able to work this hard at 65+.

Casdon

There are many sides to the coin, aren’t there growstuff. Many relatively comfortable pensioners (and many who scrimp themselves too) help their adult children financially - either by house purchases, childminding, major household purchases etc, so the money is redistributed in many cases. Others don’t.

Yes, there are many sides to the coin, which is why I don't agree that it's just a "pensioner poverty" issue, but so much more. Dividing people into factions doesn't help.

Casdon

There are many sides to the coin, aren’t there growstuff. Many relatively comfortable pensioners (and many who scrimp themselves too) help their adult children financially - either by house purchases, childminding, major household purchases etc, so the money is redistributed in many cases. Others don’t.

Yes, there are many sides to the coin, which is why I don't agree that it's just a "pensioner poverty" issue, but so much more. Dividing people into factions doesn't help.

MadeInYorkshire you are an example us all - not only fighting your own case but offering help to others! If only more Gransnet subscribers could pull together to help each other. I am sure we could really add value!

I don’t know how you managed to get money released from your local government pension Madeinyiorkshire. I couldn’t even transfer mine to a private pension when I left the public sector and had to wait until age 60 to receive it as a pension not a lump sum.

Hi madeinyorkshire good to hear I am not alone! After 2 spells in hospital after shoulder damage was told I would need Care. This was arranged without me being told I would have to pay. My Council told me that my DLA takes me above their limit & that they will not allow me to claim for a Cleaner, Gardener or Window Cleaner. All that they ‘allow’ is utilities, food & rent! Any debts that I have, credit card, is ignored & I should stop paying unnecessary items! So I had to pay a lump sum of £800+ which of course I had to borrow & now pay £20 a week for someone to help me wash my hair taking 15 mins twice a week! Seems some councils give more help but not mine! Hate being old but it does beat the alternative. Keep well!