Backseat Driver, Former PM Tony Blair Reckons The Triple-Lock...

Doodledog

I don't think there has to be choice between the young and the old. The whole system should be remodelled, so that it is a genuine 'pay in/get out' one, with exceptions for those unable to do so, obviously.

I don't need the system explaining - I do realise that it is the young who are paying our pensions, just as we paid those of the generations before us. It won't be easy, and it will take time, but the whole system needs to be revamped.

Well, it works in other countries.

As long as there is a safety net for pensioners who did not manage to pay in sufficient superannuation contributions for one reason or another.

In the 1980s only 6% of the population had been to university. I know because I was one of the few. I have the Access course to thank for the opportunity. My first ever formal exam was my degree 25 years after I left school.

Monica writes: I think it absolutely unacceptable that older people should get a free card to get extra money … I would limit it to one lock - wages.

Here we go again. The notion that one person’s pocket is being picked to pay for another to have a free ride.

How can you argue that the the triple lock is unaffordable and should only be based on earnings growth only when it is earnings growth that has been used to determine the pension increase for five out of the latest eight year’s increases including the last three. The formula that was used is the one you say should be used.

And while it is true that State Pension is deemed to be paid from current NIC, some of it is coming from the excess credit balance that has built up in the National Insurance Fund over the years.

At the last accounting period there was around £50 billion more in the fund than needs to be there. Where did the £50 billion come from? It is from the savings that previous governments made by equalising the pension age and from accelerating the change by two years. George Osborne bragged that acceleration alone saved him £60 billion and was the easiest saving he had ever made. Jeremy Hunt gave away £10 billion of that £60 billion in cutting NIC from 12% to 8%. That’s the £50 billion in the NIF.

And if you want to push the pickpocketing claims, pensioners pay tax too. It isn’t as if it stops when we reach 66/67.

Most people don’t receive the equivalent of the full nSP. StatXplore shows that in Aug 2025, when the full New State Pension was £230.25 per week, the average pension paid to someone age 70 was £210.10. Depending on the composition of their pension, they will just have received an SP increase of £10 a week (or less if some of that is a protected payment from SERPS). That’s £8 a week after tax, equivalent to £1.15 a day. It’s hardly a king’s ransom and wouldn’t buy a decent loaf of bread.

I am someone who saw her SP age increase by six years and was badly affected by other changes in the transition from the old to the new state pension system notably changes to SERPS inheritance for young widows. I’m around £75,000 worse of than someone just a few years older than me would be. But I should feel grateful for a rise of £1.15 a day or shouldn’t receive it all???

One reason the triple lock is deemed unaffordable is because the number of pensioners is growing. Currently, more people are reaching SP age each year than the number of pensioners dying, around 700,000 versus 600,000. We are seeing the affect of the post war baby boom but that won’t last forever.

Although the Additional State Pension (SERPS/S2P) isn’t triple locked, one of the reasons the overall cost of the SP is curently so high is because many older pensioners are receiving very large pensions. I have written about this before. At May 2025, over 820,000 people were receiving pensions in excess of £300 per week, some more than £400, a few more than £500. The vast majority are people on the old state pension. As these people die, they will be replaced by younger people receiving much smaller state pensions. This will help balance out the increasing number of pensioners caused by the baby boom.

Allira

M0nica

I have long thought it should go and just be tied to the growth of annual earnings, why should we do better than our children?

Pensioner poverty is a seprate issue best dealt with through ensionCreit, or, as it was more correctly known Minimum Income Guarantee.

How exactly are we doing better than our children?
Even the new State Pension at £241.30 pw is far less than the minimum wage for a 35 hour week, let alone the old State Pension at £184.90 pw.
Those on the old State Pension fall further and further behind with each increase.

But we don't have to pay towards our pension; we don't pay NI (minimum wage 40 h week does); we don't have to pay for our commute, our parking for work (£12/d where I used to work, now); we don't have to pay for childcare; we have time to cook from scratch; we don't have to take holidays at peak times because of childrens' school; only more well-off pensioners are likely to have mortgages because we wouldn't have been loaned the money if we weren't; so do we need as much as working parents? I certainly don't.

I didn't enter a world of full employment. The 80s were dreadful in many areas, with many young people out of work.

Replying to valdali.

We don't have to pay towards our pension.

We did for 50 years.

We don't pay NIC.

We did for 50 years.

We don't have to pay for our commute.

We did for 50 years.

We don't have to pay for childcare.

We did.

We have time to cook from scratch.

Today’s parents could if they wanted to. How long does it take? An hour? I don’t buy into this notion that today’s parents have less time than that their parents' generation had when they were working. The standard working day is still 8 hours and there are still 24 hours in a day.

We don't have to take holidays at peak times because of childrens' school.

That hasn’t changed for responsible parents who did not want to take their children out of school in term time.

Mortgages?

People who bought their homes then paid mortgages at far higher rates of interest than is charged now.

Do we need as much [income] as working parents?

Nobody is arguing that housing isn’t more expensive now and takes up a larger percentage of outgoings but it has never been easy. But people who have retired still pay rent. They still pay council tax, the same household bills and still have to eat. It still costs as much to heat a house whether one or four people live in it, Council tax is the same if there are two adult occupants. It still costs as much to run a car.

The cost of housing drives economic hardship more than anything else. It shouldn’t be necessary to penalise pensioners and begrudge them a rise of little more than a £1 day because successive governments have allowed a housing shortage to develop, including selling off council housing, encouraging a ballooning and avaricious private rental sector, repeatedly miss new-build targets and do nothing about the one million homes that are sitting long term empty in England alone.

Stoking intergenerational conflict over the state pension is just a deflection from this and other factors that contribute to the cost of living. By giving into this narrative we will make lives harder for this current working generation when they reach pension age.

Sarnia

They have to find the money to cover the ever growing benefits payments, don't they? Might as well be the poor old pensioners.

The gvt should be looking at young people who haven't worked since 2020. Why is this? Because it's too easy for some to claim benefit. Benefit claimants (not disabled) should have a cut-off period of 3 months. Able-bodied would soon find work.

Graphite

Replying to valdali.

We don't have to pay towards our pension.

We did for 50 years.

We don't pay NIC.

We did for 50 years.

We don't have to pay for our commute.

We did for 50 years.

We don't have to pay for childcare.

We did.

We have time to cook from scratch.

Today’s parents could if they wanted to. How long does it take? An hour? I don’t buy into this notion that today’s parents have less time than that their parents' generation had when they were working. The standard working day is still 8 hours and there are still 24 hours in a day.

We don't have to take holidays at peak times because of childrens' school.

That hasn’t changed for responsible parents who did not want to take their children out of school in term time.

Mortgages?

People who bought their homes then paid mortgages at far higher rates of interest than is charged now.

Do we need as much [income] as working parents?

Nobody is arguing that housing isn’t more expensive now and takes up a larger percentage of outgoings but it has never been easy. But people who have retired still pay rent. They still pay council tax, the same household bills and still have to eat. It still costs as much to heat a house whether one or four people live in it, Council tax is the same if there are two adult occupants. It still costs as much to run a car.

The cost of housing drives economic hardship more than anything else. It shouldn’t be necessary to penalise pensioners and begrudge them a rise of little more than a £1 day because successive governments have allowed a housing shortage to develop, including selling off council housing, encouraging a ballooning and avaricious private rental sector, repeatedly miss new-build targets and do nothing about the one million homes that are sitting long term empty in England alone.

Stoking intergenerational conflict over the state pension is just a deflection from this and other factors that contribute to the cost of living. By giving into this narrative we will make lives harder for this current working generation when they reach pension age.

Couldn't agree more. All to easy to blame pensioners when many are struggling to survive.

Agreed 👍 doddlebug
Women couldn't have a pension because state said they have husbands bring up childrenook after parents
Many paid a housewife stamp!
Some of my friends never worked and live on benefits say a lot better of than people who did .. not professional people just shop workers etc

I’d like to start a petition to stop the ridiculous bill for police protection for Blair (can’t bring myself to say his christian name) and the other overpaid ex PM’s. He is a multi millionaire, his wife probably is and his kids probably are millionaires now. SOOO greedy! at our expense too!

I agree TerriBull.

We have to have a system for pensioners where above all needs are met of those worst off. That I'm sure no one can disagree with.

There is no point in saying, "but I worked for x years and Z and Y didnt, they didn't get off their arses like me, why should I get the same.

All sorts of things happen in life/ People take time out because they are ill, a partner dies, or they are caring, or unwittingly have made bad choices. Or been robbed in some pension scheme. Or just never had the background to see a big picture.

Or that over which we have no control - my DS and DiL have good incomes, but a child so disabled that she will need to live lifelong in a care home - and thats where the money and energy will go, including inheritance.

I think that there are places that would net much, much more money...!
I wonder if any government will go after the people who really defraud the system ..!?!

Interesting comments/arguments here.. what about,,, state pension only paid to those who need it? ie. do MP`s. need it? Lords need it? etc. etc.

Is everyone on this page rich!!
I worked for my pension and brought up 4 children all of whom now have good jobs. My husband had 2 jobs so we could make ends meet. Pension is not a benefit and we can’t claim benefits because between us we are just above the level. Most of these teenagers don’t want jobs they just want to claim benefits which are very generous. I earnt my pension

Any changes that are made to the pension - I don't think there should be changes, but if there were, it should only start from when current 16 year olds reach pension age.
NO changes should be made to people in midlife or later midlife as the previous changes were made. AND everyone should be treated equally. No more 'waspi-women' government fraud situations.

If they want to get rid of any pensioner benefit I would start with the Christmas bonus. It has never been increased since it was introduced and must now cost more to administer than it is worth. I doubt anyone would miss it.

Well it’s all to easy to pick on pensioners who like me worked all my life never claimed a benefit worked in low paid job unable to pay into a private pension until late 1990 no help with child care so yes take everything off us. Government should be ashamed they are ok with subsidies of food Booze heating and housing help so let’s rob the pensioner.

Bliar should be in prison.

mum2three

'Back seat driver'.....describes Blair perfectly. Is he the one still pulling the strings...because Starmer is obviously acting under instructions from a higher authority.
I think perhaps someone in parliament reads Gransnet and is aware of the support the Labour party has from its members and doesn't want to lose it. (I don't include myself in that category as I think Tony Blair is responsible for much of the mess this country is in.)

No, the ones pulling the strings are the World Rich elites and their associated friends.And the Bankers who the government borrow billions off to pay the Nations debts.

I think if we want to make pension fairer the only way is to have system that means we don't pay it out to people who don't need it. Taking it away or reducing it from all pensioners will make the poorest suffer, those of us who are comfortable can take the hit. My Grandson did a paper round while at school. Worked weekends in a fish and chip shop whilst doing business studies at college. He then took an apprenticeship with a company that provides training across various industries. He has completed his apprentice and impressed the company and at 19 has been offered a permanent staff position on just below average wage. This doesn't prove that some young people who have got jobs are workshy or lazy any more than some pensioners being comfortable enough to be willing to take a cut means there aren't some who can't afford to.

University was free if you could get a place. There were no where near as many places available as there are today. You had to work harder and achieve at a higher level to get in. It certainly was free many.

I think in the 1960’s for example, students going on to University was around 3% so for a good while it was possible to have a grant.
Today it would be impossible.
On the State Pension, which I’m looking forward to btw I think the triple lock should stay.

Sorry not really a comment on pension. Why is it that I always thought that my parent's contributions were to be used for my pension, not my contributions to go to their pension costs. How have I been lead to believe this ie one generation pays for the following generation.

The money paid in isn’t hoarded somewhere to be paid out later.

Siptree

University was free if you could get a place. There were no where near as many places available as there are today. You had to work harder and achieve at a higher level to get in. It certainly was free many.

I went to University in 1968 during the big expansion after the Robbins report. My father died in my first year and my mother got a letter from the County Council a couple of weeks later saying that as her widow's pension would be more than his disabilty pension she would now have to contribute to my grant.
Actually I don't think the A level results were anywhere near as high as those demanded of my granddaughters in recent years. The content was certainly not any easier.