Change free prescriptions to state pension age?

Doodledog

How has Labour (AKA the government) dug itself into a black hole? It really hasn't had time to do that, although to be fair, Liz Truss managed to crash the economy faster. This government has inherited a 'black hole' from the previous one, and whilst its strategy for getting us all out of it may not be popular with everyone, there is no reason for panic, as the budget, whatever it may hold, is not until 30 October.

It is clearly wrong to suggest that 'no pensioner will trust them', as many on here are perfectly able to differentiate between rumour, speculation and reality.

Many, but not all apparently.

I have never trusted Labour.

What is so depressing about this is that there will be numbers of elderly pensioners who are living the last few years of their lives.

Those who are just above the PC limit can look forward to their remaining years with little joy or pleasure knowing that when the economy is finally 'stabilised' (I think that's the word the government us using) - they will be gone - because all they have to look forward to, is more of the same... as we've been told things are going to get worse before they get better.

A failing NHS which may not be able to support them when they need it; community care which is in a similar state, rising energy bills and other costs. So they will be penny-pinching for what is left of their lives. That's it, that's their lot. Of course, if they are lucky, they will be surrounded by a loving family - but that's very often not the case.

Most of us can tolerate a period of personal austerity if there's a brighter future - but if you are facing impoverishment until the day you die, with little or no emotional or financial support, it's just bloody bleak.

Dickens

What is so depressing about this is that there will be numbers of elderly pensioners who are living the last few years of their lives.

Those who are just above the PC limit can look forward to their remaining years with little joy or pleasure knowing that when the economy is finally 'stabilised' (I think that's the word the government us using) - they will be gone - because all they have to look forward to, is more of the same... as we've been told things are going to get worse before they get better.

A failing NHS which may not be able to support them when they need it; community care which is in a similar state, rising energy bills and other costs. So they will be penny-pinching for what is left of their lives. That's it, that's their lot. Of course, if they are lucky, they will be surrounded by a loving family - but that's very often not the case.

Most of us can tolerate a period of personal austerity if there's a brighter future - but if you are facing impoverishment until the day you die, with little or no emotional or financial support, it's just bloody bleak.

That's how I see it, Dickens. At 65, I am not quite there yet, but my health isn't great, I still don't have a state pension, and who knows what the future holds? I am a classic 'squeezed middler'. We have inherited nothing, have worked since our teens and have lived fairly frugally, but less so than many, I realise. We own a fairly average house, have occupational pensions, some savings and no dependent children, but who knows what we will need to spend before turning up our toes?

I don't want to spend money from savings in case we need it later, but at the same time am aware that anything we hang onto can be taken away if we need care, and I can't help resenting that when I know that some of what we could be charged will be used to pay for the care of those who have spent far more than we have before it was deemed to be 'deprivation of assets'. That really does rankle, as does the fact that so many women of my generation chose not to work but get given what people like me will have to pay for. It's less of a big deal to me than it may seem on here, when it only comes up in discussions like these - I don't spend any time thinking about it nine days out of ten

My mother's generation, who in many ways had things a lot easier (one salary being enough to support a family, LA housing with low rents and lifetime tenancies for those who needed it, widows inheriting their husbands' pensions, women retiring at 60, high levels of MIRAS, free higher education for their children etc) is now at the age where the cuts are really biting. My aunt is very frail now, and is spending a fortune on in-house carers that my grandmother's generation got free, along with free social care. There is no free dentistry, chiropody, ear wax treatment etc, all of which they are used to having, and they complain like mad, as it's human nature to resent having things taken away - far more than never having had them in the first place.

My generation will never know any of that, and could well have to do without free travel passes and other concessionary things that we've already had postponed by six years or more.

It's not cheery, but at least we're prepared, I suppose .

For those with a sense of humour in adversity, here's John Cooper Clarke's take on the matter - Trigger Warning For Profanity

www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LRFYJ1-aIA

Doodledog

... just about to watch the 'profane' YT video (busy day yesterday).

I so agree with aspects of your post.

Those that hold the majority of the wealth throw the rest of us some crumbs to share. Many will eat all their crumbs - others won't even have enough of them, then those of us who've saved some will be expected to share what we've saved - God forbid that those who have a creaking-table full - more than they can ever consume - donate more crumbs.

We need a more equitable distribution of wealth. People who are working should be paid a reasonable wage on which they can actually live. A 'flexible' labour force should not mean that workers are on zero-hour contracts. Our public services and infrastructure should be properly funded. More workers with disposable income means more spending into the economy, buying goods and services and hospitality.

Taking away the WFA from those above the PC limit is like trying to plug the family 'black hole' by taking back some of your child's pocket money - it's penny-pinching.

The root of the problem is that too much wealth is in the hands of too few people, at the expense of the majority. Call it the status-quo - or just plain old greed.

The root of the problem is that too much wealth is in the hands of too few people, at the expense of the majority. Call it the status-quo - or just plain old greed.

Our whole economic system works to channel money upwards towards the already wealthy and it is protected because it is the wealthy who have the most influence over political decisions. They will fight tooth and nail to resist any attempt at redistribution through the tax system, threatening to leave the country and swearing that their money benefits us because they create jobs and because of the nonexistent 'trickle down' effect...

Sadly, our current chancellor seems to have been captured by them...

A very famous political economist wrote this 300+ years ago

The proposal of any new law or regulation of commerce which comes from this order ( basically, the wealthy ), ought always to be listened to with great precaution, and ought never to be adopted till after having been long and carefully examined, not only with the most scrupulous, but with the most suspicious attention.

Nothing changes...

Don’t be put off the video by my trigger warning- he just swears a bit in the intro

Hellsbelles

I'm going to disagree with you all , in the nicest way , I'm guessing you all get state pension ( well most of you ) I'm 63 and was my husband's carer as even,though he is also 63 , he has not been able to work for around 5 years due to his health , in that time he has been on 5 different medications a day . When he was under 60 and paying yes he had a certificate which still cost him money.
We had worked full time up to his illness and rarely had
Holidays to pay off our mortgage asap.
Once he was ill we lived off savings and pip and my carers allowance.
This year I have become ill and need 4 different tablets a day , it is an life-long illness and I also get pip , we use our savings to top up . We survive . If we both had to buy the certificates it would be a struggle and more money off our savings .
We dont get state pension until we are 67 , so 4 more years .
We don't get any more help because we have some savings , we've never drank , never smoked , never really had holidays
because we wanted to pay off a mortgage , which we have but at the detriment to other things .
Maybe if we had drank , smoked holidayed , we'd have no savings so qualify for a lot more benefits , but we didn't , so almost have been penalised for being hard working when younger .
So don't deny me free prescriptions as well .

👏👏👏👏👏

MaizieD

^The root of the problem is that too much wealth is in the hands of too few people, at the expense of the majority. Call it the status-quo - or just plain old greed.^

Our whole economic system works to channel money upwards towards the already wealthy and it is protected because it is the wealthy who have the most influence over political decisions. They will fight tooth and nail to resist any attempt at redistribution through the tax system, threatening to leave the country and swearing that their money benefits us because they create jobs and because of the nonexistent 'trickle down' effect...

Sadly, our current chancellor seems to have been captured by them...

A very famous political economist wrote this 300+ years ago

The proposal of any new law or regulation of commerce which comes from this order ( basically, the wealthy ), ought always to be listened to with great precaution, and ought never to be adopted till after having been long and carefully examined, not only with the most scrupulous, but with the most suspicious attention.

Nothing changes...

Nothing changes...

Depressing isn't it?

Our whole economic system works to channel money upwards towards the already wealthy and it is protected because it is the wealthy who have the most influence over political decisions. They will fight tooth and nail to resist any attempt at redistribution through the tax system, threatening to leave the country and swearing that their money benefits us because they create jobs and because of the nonexistent 'trickle down' effect...

Yes. Money is sucked out of the economy and we are left to fight among ourselves for what's left. Divide and Rule.

I don't see any end to it. As long as the myth of "there's not enough money to go round" persists, so long will it continue.

"Government-created money is destroyed through the payment of tax. This is important. It explains why tax does not fund government spending. Money creation by the government funds government spending. Taxation takes the money the government creates to fund its spending out of circulation as a mechanism to control inflation. That money is then destroyed. Tax as a result never funds government spending: it cancels money creation." (Richard Murphy, Tax Research)

MissAdventure

You can be malnourished and obese, by the way.

Probably the crappy food they are given to eat, takeaways, parents can’t cook so they don’t eat properly

I wouldn't imagine many pensioners are fed crap by parents who can't cook.

Mt61

MissAdventure

You can be malnourished and obese, by the way.

Probably the crappy food they are given to eat, takeaways, parents can’t cook so they don’t eat properly

These are quite unjust aspersions cast on a genration, many of whome, can cook, and do cook.

If the parents can't cook then our generation, their parents are at fault, for not ecouraging them to do so when they were children. I have children and grandchildren who can all cook - and do because they have been mixing and making with food since they were knee high to grasshopper.

My parents taught my brother and me to cook from an early age. I wasn't brought up with money so everything was cooked from scratch plenty of veg and pulses and cheaper cuts of meat and always a pud steamed sponge and custard ,rice pudding and the like. Taught our children to cook and my grandsons taught from very young. Cooking from scratch is cheaper and healthier. Many years ago one if my cousin's left home but my aunt didn't think boys should learn to cook . So he brought himself an basic cook book and taught himself .

Nothing better than homemade meals,soups and baking . At least you know what goes into to. And yes everyone can do it just needs planning . I can't cook fresh everyday haven't got years due to disability so make large pot of stew with either chicken or Quorn mince ,chicken pieces or sausages. I don't eat meat. Plenty of veg and pearl barely or pasta enough for 6 dinners portioned into oven proof dishes. Home made red lentils and veg soup enough for 6 lunches and kept in a large plastic box in the fridge to reheat a portion for lunch. Have same menu all year round plus porridge for breakfast. Have plenty of fruit as well.

I know people would hate my way of eating but it works for me. Plus list 7st since 2017 and still battling to lose the last stone for last 2 nearly 3 years but will get there one day.