Pensioner Power

I haven’t heard if it’s a free vote Oreo

ronib

There’s going to be a vote in the House of Commons on the WFA next Tuesday.

Let’s hope for a get out of jail card then .

But with Labour having a massive majority it would mean all other parties including loads of Labour MP’s to say no to it.Or in Labour MP’s cases to abstain.

Pippa000

I'm not really sure if this is the correct section but here goes, and I hope this is OK for a discussion. I have come across an article about the stopping of the WFA for many, and the power that retired people actually have. The idea was that they withdraw from all voluntarily work for a period (six weeks was a suggestion). This includes but is not exclusive to any grandparent duties after before and school, hospitals, including the hospital car service, hospices, charity shops, schools, youth activities, etc then the government may see how many retired folk, male and female, who have a state pension are vital to the economy.

Yes, I saw the same article and also cannot remember where. I totally agree with the article. If any pensioner gives their time freely to the government or council I would also be willing to tell them to stick their unpaid job where the sun don't shine.

I would love to know how much money I saved the NHS when I cared for my ill husband for many years before he died. Buying all our own medical equipment because we were not on benefits. I have said many times that if I had my life to live over again I would spend, spend, spend and then claim for every benefit going.

My mum was the same, because my dad had a very small private pension, she was just over the threshold for claiming benefits so could not get a discount on her rent or council tax or whatever it was called over 25 years ago.

She lived in a council house where they had lived since I was 10 years old in 1953 and my dad died in 1969. She stayed in the house until she died in 1999 and the council never once modernised the property in all those years but she kept on paying the full rent. After she died, the council went in and modernised it top to bottom, double glazing, new bathroom and kitchen etc. etc. and moved in a teenage girl with a baby on benefits, we knew about it because mums neighbours told us as they were all up in arms because their homes were not being modernised until they either died or moved out.

It has always been the same, do nothing for yourselves and you get everything, look after yourselves and get nothing.

It makes me sick to the stomach and it is still happening today. Taking money off the people who have always ensured they saved enough money and made certain they would be comfortable in their old age.

Don't try and tell me any different because I would not believe you. I came from parents that worked in the carpet mills and lived week to week, never owned their own home and never bought anything that they could not affored, they saved up for it. That is why myself, my late husband and our sons are the same as our parents. We are proud people that get taken advantage of by people in charge of the country.

There’s going to be a vote in the House of Commons on the WFA next Tuesday.

Let’s hope for a get out of jail card then .

Interesting to read that the new French prime minister is 73 years old.

You’re welcome Allira. I wouldn’t want anyone to see that claim that about a £900 increase for some next year and believe it. The state pension would need to be £25,000 for that to be the case (if the 3.5% figure is true).

£12,000 is what the full new state pension would be with a 3.5% rise.

Thanks was to Siope

Thanks.

The old SP is very confusing.
I doubt that mine would be made up to £12,000 pa, that would be an increase of over £4,000 pa!

If you are well enough to undertake voluntary work and are struggling financially, I would think about finding a part time job which pays

I would politely suggest that helping out doing something you enjoy, perhaps with frequent breaks and chat is an entirely different proposition to working.

Also, " poorer pensioners" is a blanket term. Life takes all sorts of twists and turns. Problems with mental and/or physical health, family curveballs and so on.
One size does not fit all.

Forgot to quote again. That was for Allira

The Retirement pension is going up quite a lot for apparently those born before 1951

Is this just the normal increase? They are being disingenuous if they are trying to infer that this is over and above the normal increases in SP.

I

The media wants shooting then.

To reiterate: no announcement has been made regarding the 2025 pension increase. Rumour has it it will be about 3.5%.

If someone is entitled to additional state pension, they will already be receiving it - it was automatically paid when their pension started. The pension increase will be a percentage of someone’s total pension, whether that is the pre- or post-2016 pension.

Just a thought...Instead of striking which will only affect the vulnerable, could we all calculate the cost/value of our voluntary unpaid work as if it was actually paid for. Then submit the figures to e.g. Age Concern. If everyone took part the figure would be enormous and could be used to pressure the Government.

So how many are entitled to Additional State Pension and how?
I'm not..

Gummie

What a silly idea. How on earth does hurting the people around and dropping out of volunteering persuade the government to do anything!

Make the right choice when you vote instead of this nonsense.

In making such a short sighted and rather rude comment, you are completely dismissing the valuable contribution made by retired people, especially grandparents.

Free childcare keeps the cogs turning in many professions, particularly public services. Imagine a hospital trying to function without the hundreds of ‘little people’ who rely on grandparents so they can work to pay their mortgages.

Many already feel undervalued and taken for granted. It’s exhausting work, no matter how much you love your family.

Accusing people of making the wrong choices when they vote is unfair because most thought they were making the right choice! As I said upthread, there’s no powerful union behind the elderly.

4allweknow

The Retirement pension is going up quite a lot for apparently those born before 1951. I was born before that and like many of my generation stayed at home to care for children for 6 years, therefore not qualifying for the higher rate pension. Some will receive about £900 p.a. increase, myself will be nearer £300. So that increase will cover the WFA basically not giving me an overall increase. Of course if you have additional income you may end up paying tax, that will help the government to fix the black hole they keep talking about. Why couldn't they have had a programme of reducing the WFA say over 3 years instead of the abrupt withdrawal.

Just had a look at information below as there is some conflicting information in the media.....and I was born in 1950...
www.gov.uk/additional-state-pension/print - worth a look for those affected...

The idea of paying the WFA to all pensioners, regardless of how much money they received had, is pretty disgusting. Particularly in times when the poorest members of our society are families, most of whom have one or two working parent. It is they who have to use the Food Banks, and surely any society should put children first.
Families with children are not the only ones who use Food Banks.

Parents on salaries of up to £99,000 pa will be entitled to 15 hours free nursery vouchers per week.
That is worth far more than the WFA was.

Stopping volunteering will only hurt charities and consequently the vulnerable, Pippa000

Strange that no-one has come into to reply as towhy so many pensioners do not claim Pension Credit.

I thought I had made a suggestion, Franbern but it must have been on another thread.

Because these entitlements are known as benefits, or in this case credit, the names could be putting some people off.
Older people may think of it as a form of charity, which it is not, added to which the application forms for some of these benefits/entitlements may be so long-winded and complicated they could be off-putting.

What a silly idea. How on earth does hurting the people around and dropping out of volunteering persuade the government to do anything!

Make the right choice when you vote instead of this nonsense.

Strange that no-one has come into to reply as towhy so many pensioners do not claim Pension Credit.

I do find this interesting as do I the idea that pensioners just above the claim limit are so poor that they have to choose between heat and eat!!!!

Let us get this is real context. PC just brings money up to that of the pension. So, with the WFA being £200 for those under 80 years old and £300 for those over 80 yrs, any pensioner who misses out of being able to claim PC due to extra money on top of normal state pension , has to be less than that £200/£300 extra for them to be poorer than those claiming PC and getting the WFA.
The idea of paying the WFA to all pensioners, regardless of how much money they received had, is pretty disgusting. Particularly in times when the poorest members of our society are families, most of whom have one or two working parent. It is they who have to use the Food Banks, and surely any society should put children first.

biglouis

This government lost any respect I might have had for them when Two Tier Kier threw money at his paymesters (the unions) and targeted a vulnerable group. Not to mention all the taxpayer money being squandered on dubious causes and foreign wars.

Did you object to all the reductions in corporation tax made by the Tory government to satisfy their ‘paymasters’?

The changes would take the full state pension for men born after 1951 and women born after 1953 to about £12,000 in 2025 and 2026, after a £900 increase in 2023.

Pre-2016 retirees who may be eligible for the secondary state pension could benefit from a £300 a year increase.

Reeves told MPs: “The basic state pension is worth £900 more than it was a year ago and will go up again in April next year because of the triple lock, which we have committed to for the duration of this parliament.”
Guardian 4/9/24

That last statement is is utter rubbish!
Older pensioners will lose out yet gain.

Allira

4allweknow

The Retirement pension is going up quite a lot for apparently those born before 1951. I was born before that and like many of my generation stayed at home to care for children for 6 years, therefore not qualifying for the higher rate pension. Some will receive about £900 p.a. increase, myself will be nearer £300. So that increase will cover the WFA basically not giving me an overall increase. Of course if you have additional income you may end up paying tax, that will help the government to fix the black hole they keep talking about. Why couldn't they have had a programme of reducing the WFA say over 3 years instead of the abrupt withdrawal.

I missed that announcement 4allweknow so thank you.
Well, that's a crumb of comfort but I doubt I will get £900 pa! Every little helps.

I agree about a tapering off of the WFA.

I can't find any clear news item about this.

The increases seem to be for pensioners born after 1951 and 1953 to ensure their pension is at least £12,000 pa.

Perhaps the rest of us older pensioners are just collateral damage.

4allweknow

The Retirement pension is going up quite a lot for apparently those born before 1951. I was born before that and like many of my generation stayed at home to care for children for 6 years, therefore not qualifying for the higher rate pension. Some will receive about £900 p.a. increase, myself will be nearer £300. So that increase will cover the WFA basically not giving me an overall increase. Of course if you have additional income you may end up paying tax, that will help the government to fix the black hole they keep talking about. Why couldn't they have had a programme of reducing the WFA say over 3 years instead of the abrupt withdrawal.

I missed that announcement 4allweknow so thank you.
Well, that's a crumb of comfort but I doubt I will get £900 pa! Every little helps.

I agree about a tapering off of the WFA.

Its a pity those that didn't need winter allowance and took it anyway, did not donate it to Age Concern or a charity. I am very concerned about someone I know, she was crying yesterday saying she couldn't face the winter, the food prices are so high as well as the heatings and not able to claim anything as just above the threshold, this lady worked until she was 70 always voted Labour, now at 78 and almost immobile.
Two tier Keir needs a reality check. Agree with Biglouis and PilgrimQuill.