Alan B'Stard
Well-Known Forumite
I believe a black triangle has previously been used elsewhere in some select places to identify the workshy.
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Universal benefits
- Thread starter 70-plus
- Start date
I believe a black triangle has previously been used elsewhere in some select places to identify the workshy.
Trumpet
Well-Known Forumite
Or indeed any.
Being paid for fulfilling a natural function is bizarre in my book.
Going by some of the sights we see on today's streets, in some cases couples being paid not to have children would be more of a benefit to society as a whole.
littleme
250,000th poster!
Just to add my twopennarth worth - In my time I have been a single parent on benefits, a single parent and full time student, a single parent working full time, and currently I'm a stay at home mum while my husband works a ridiculous amount of hours per week - he often leaves the house by 6am and doesn't get home till 10pm.
I was far better off financially when I was a single parent on benefits, as Peggy says, we had all the latest stuff etc.....I find it so unfair that husband works so hard chasing promotion after promotion and yet we are so much worse off than people claiming benefits.....
I was far better off financially when I was a single parent on benefits, as Peggy says, we had all the latest stuff etc.....I find it so unfair that husband works so hard chasing promotion after promotion and yet we are so much worse off than people claiming benefits.....
John Marwood
I ♥ cryptic crosswords
A quarter of the UK are pensioners so we either hatch or import youth to balance the books
However, a sewing together of the sack or legs until a proper written exam is passed has been mooted before to prevent a cretin crisis
John Marwood
I ♥ cryptic crosswords
The age of early retirement is over, the pensions minister has declared, as he
warned workers in their 30s that the government had no idea when they would
be able to retire.
Steve Webb said the growing numbers of people living into their 80s and 90s
would leave taxpayers with a rising bill and meant “the sums” would never
add up if people continued to retire in their 50s.
In future, increases in life expectancy will automatically trigger a rise in
the state pension age, with most of the extra years of life to be spent
working, he said.
Details of the coalition’s pension reforms will be published in the next few
weeks, and will include a new flat rate state pension providing the elderly
with “the minimum” they need.
Ministers are also planning to tell pensioners to use their savings to pay for
their long-term care in old age.
According to official forecasts, the population of older people will rise
dramatically over the coming years as a result of better healthcare and
previously high birth rates in the post-war “baby boom” years.
The number of over 65s in England is expected to increase by 51 per cent over
the next 20 years, while the numbers of those aged 85 and above will double
by 2030.
Ministers accept that the trend will hugely increase the costs to the NHS,
elderly care and state pensions systems.
Under the government’s plans, the state pension age for women will be brought
into line with men at 65 in 2018 before rising to 66 by 2020 and 67 by 2028.
Mr Webb said that a new white paper would set out how the state pension age
would be linked automatically to increases in life expectancy.
“People sometimes write to me who are aggrieved at our raising the state
pension age,” Mr Webb told a House of Lords investigation into the ageing
population.
“For us, if people are going to live on average to late 80s and beyond,
retiring in late 50s is just never going to make the sums add up.
“I had a police officer who came to me the other day and complained that we
had stopped him retiring at 52. We just can’t do this any more.”
Mr Webb said the coalition’s plans would ensure workers received enough notice
about changes in the state pension age but would not commit the government
too far into the future.
“If someone tells a 30 year old what their state pension age is going to be,
they are lying,” he said.
The plans will allow some “flex” to take account of the fact that some parts
of the country have not seen life expectancy increase as fast as others, he
said.
Mr Webb suggested wealthier pensioners should be encouraged to downsize to
smaller homes to use their assets to pay for old age.
“I certainly think there is a lot more that could be done on trading down,
although this is incredibly sensitive territory,” he told the committee.
“Saying to someone, you have got all this housing wealth, the best way to
release it is just to trade down trade down and move to a flat or something,
you have to move out of the community you have been living in, is very
difficult.”
Mr Webb said the government may need to review its employment policies to
ensure older people who are out of work can find jobs. The Work Programme,
which is designed to tackle long-term unemployment, contains no incentives
on agencies to find jobs for older workers, he warned.
The coalition has also committed to capping the potentially “catastrophic”
cost of long term care for elderly people in nursing homes.
Proposals are expected to be announced within weeks indicating the level of
the maximum amount that frail and disabled adults face paying for their care
before the state steps in. Pensioners could be expected to pay up to £75,000
of any care bills they incur, under the plan.
Norman Lamb, the care services minister, said pensioners would be advised to
use their savings to buy care insurance. Pensioners could take a lower lump
sum on retirement and opt for private care protection packages to cover the
cost of care home bills up to the level of the cap, he said.
The insurance could also be used to “top up” the care home fees that the
government will pay once people have reached the cap if pensioners want to
buy better quality services than the state-funded minimum, he said.
Ministers outlined their plans for addressing the ageing population as experts
and campaigners warned that pensioners would face a “hammer blow” from a new
system for calculating inflation.
The Office for National Statistics will today reveal the results of a study
that could lead to changes in the way the RPI measure of inflation is
calculated.
Many economists expect the statisticians to introduce new rules that reduce
RPI figures. A decision to retain the current rules would be a relief to
pensioners.
Many private pension funds increase payments to pensioners every year in line
with RPI inflation, meaning lower figures would result in smaller pensions.
Ros Altmann, the director-general of Saga said that reducing RPI would harm
pensioners and savers.
Nigel Green, of the deVere financial consultancy, said: “It would be another
hammer blow for pension holders who are still in schemes that offer RPI
increases, as their annual pension increases would be slashed overnight.”
warned workers in their 30s that the government had no idea when they would
be able to retire.
Steve Webb said the growing numbers of people living into their 80s and 90s
would leave taxpayers with a rising bill and meant “the sums” would never
add up if people continued to retire in their 50s.
In future, increases in life expectancy will automatically trigger a rise in
the state pension age, with most of the extra years of life to be spent
working, he said.
Details of the coalition’s pension reforms will be published in the next few
weeks, and will include a new flat rate state pension providing the elderly
with “the minimum” they need.
Ministers are also planning to tell pensioners to use their savings to pay for
their long-term care in old age.
According to official forecasts, the population of older people will rise
dramatically over the coming years as a result of better healthcare and
previously high birth rates in the post-war “baby boom” years.
The number of over 65s in England is expected to increase by 51 per cent over
the next 20 years, while the numbers of those aged 85 and above will double
by 2030.
Ministers accept that the trend will hugely increase the costs to the NHS,
elderly care and state pensions systems.
Under the government’s plans, the state pension age for women will be brought
into line with men at 65 in 2018 before rising to 66 by 2020 and 67 by 2028.
Mr Webb said that a new white paper would set out how the state pension age
would be linked automatically to increases in life expectancy.
“People sometimes write to me who are aggrieved at our raising the state
pension age,” Mr Webb told a House of Lords investigation into the ageing
population.
“For us, if people are going to live on average to late 80s and beyond,
retiring in late 50s is just never going to make the sums add up.
“I had a police officer who came to me the other day and complained that we
had stopped him retiring at 52. We just can’t do this any more.”
Mr Webb said the coalition’s plans would ensure workers received enough notice
about changes in the state pension age but would not commit the government
too far into the future.
“If someone tells a 30 year old what their state pension age is going to be,
they are lying,” he said.
The plans will allow some “flex” to take account of the fact that some parts
of the country have not seen life expectancy increase as fast as others, he
said.
Mr Webb suggested wealthier pensioners should be encouraged to downsize to
smaller homes to use their assets to pay for old age.
“I certainly think there is a lot more that could be done on trading down,
although this is incredibly sensitive territory,” he told the committee.
“Saying to someone, you have got all this housing wealth, the best way to
release it is just to trade down trade down and move to a flat or something,
you have to move out of the community you have been living in, is very
difficult.”
Mr Webb said the government may need to review its employment policies to
ensure older people who are out of work can find jobs. The Work Programme,
which is designed to tackle long-term unemployment, contains no incentives
on agencies to find jobs for older workers, he warned.
The coalition has also committed to capping the potentially “catastrophic”
cost of long term care for elderly people in nursing homes.
Proposals are expected to be announced within weeks indicating the level of
the maximum amount that frail and disabled adults face paying for their care
before the state steps in. Pensioners could be expected to pay up to £75,000
of any care bills they incur, under the plan.
Norman Lamb, the care services minister, said pensioners would be advised to
use their savings to buy care insurance. Pensioners could take a lower lump
sum on retirement and opt for private care protection packages to cover the
cost of care home bills up to the level of the cap, he said.
The insurance could also be used to “top up” the care home fees that the
government will pay once people have reached the cap if pensioners want to
buy better quality services than the state-funded minimum, he said.
Ministers outlined their plans for addressing the ageing population as experts
and campaigners warned that pensioners would face a “hammer blow” from a new
system for calculating inflation.
The Office for National Statistics will today reveal the results of a study
that could lead to changes in the way the RPI measure of inflation is
calculated.
Many economists expect the statisticians to introduce new rules that reduce
RPI figures. A decision to retain the current rules would be a relief to
pensioners.
Many private pension funds increase payments to pensioners every year in line
with RPI inflation, meaning lower figures would result in smaller pensions.
Ros Altmann, the director-general of Saga said that reducing RPI would harm
pensioners and savers.
Nigel Green, of the deVere financial consultancy, said: “It would be another
hammer blow for pension holders who are still in schemes that offer RPI
increases, as their annual pension increases would be slashed overnight.”
Sk84goal
Well-Known Forumite
and of course a drop in RPI would help the students as there loans are based on RPI +3% and completely screw up the governments student loan repayment calculations.
As the government keeps on about not transfering the debt onto the next generation it will of course not change RPI
Just checked, they haven't! what a suprise. But what they have done is introduced a new measure RPIJ, Unbelievable.
Gramaisc
Forum O. G.
Agricultural benefits may not be being cut - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-21132122 ...
tek-monkey
wanna see my snake?
A subsidy payment system based entirely on land you own, not on what you do with it? We're all in this together!
John Marwood
I ♥ cryptic crosswords
Noah
Well-Known Forumite
About 45% of student loans are never repaid and there are suggestions that the figure could rise significantly. Government calculations were based on the belief that less than 40% would not be repaid.
tek-monkey
wanna see my snake?
But they don't want to admit that as it proves university and all its associated fees/debts are not really worth it for a lot of people.
Don't you only need to earn 12k to start repayments nowadays? Mine were linked to the average wage, so if I stay at the college I'll never pay back a penny as I won't hit the threshold.
Don't you only need to earn 12k to start repayments nowadays? Mine were linked to the average wage, so if I stay at the college I'll never pay back a penny as I won't hit the threshold.
My Name is URL
Well-Known Forumite
Pretty sure its still £20k or £22k odd.....
In fact, bang in the middle at £21k seemingly.... CLICKY
tek-monkey
wanna see my snake?
Was 28k for me, then they realised a degree doesn't equal a good job and pulled it back!
John Marwood
I ♥ cryptic crosswords
tek-monkey
wanna see my snake?
And vat is more.
arthur
Nixon Garden Neatness
Many sick and disabled people are still struggling because of the welfare reform act. It's ridicules how many genuinely sick people and disabled are found fit for work at the medical assessments - then going through the two stage processes of appeal only to find the decision overturned at benefit tribunal. Such a waste of money. I've starting a project that does the appeals now and I see so many cases that have caused anxiety and stress and debt for the claimants. It's a fight to get their money to live. Most of them use foodbanks. If anyone you want to donate to the foodbank message me and I'll give the details where to take the food.
Gramaisc
Forum O. G.
The 'system' prefers to waste the money by giving it to "professionals" rather than using it for its intended purpose.
Perrier
Banned
I agree.
Im a carer for my wife as you probably already know
Although financially we manage to keep our heads above water, the strain has taken its toll mentally on my wife.
She suffers extreme anxiety and agoraphobia as it is, along with the depression that cycles with it.
she was awarded PIP for another 3 years , however ESA only two years ( 12 months in reality as its reviewed a year earlier as you probably already know).
we understand the need for checks to be carried out , however its seems very biased towards removing support whatever the ( human) cost.
we have not had to appeal ( yet) as we normally have to fight for a home assessment due to her anxiety and agoraphobia and usually our doctor has to fax a letter over to them to warn them of her condition and his view of her not to made to travel to an assessment center.
This usually triggers a home visit , but after reviewing her medical history they forgo the assessment visit anyway ( cost ?) and allow her claim.
All this has actually made her worse since this 'fairer' process began !.
its great that you have a project going that would help those less fortunate though and i wish you every success with it , the government hate the use of foodbanks as it takes away some of the hardship and strain that forces those that are ill or disabled and in turn makes them have to work to survive.