Food for thought

[Dezi]

The Anti-poverty charity stated yesterday that the average two child family need to earn £36,800 a year to have a "socially acceptable" standard of living.
Fine, all well & good.

Meanwhile Conservative MP Nick Boles is set to urge an end to universal benefits such as winter fuel allowance and free public transport, free t.v. licenses for better off pensioners.

Mr Boles wants such benefits to be means tested from 2015. There is a general consensus of agreement within the conservative party & even Nick Glegg has said that he will be happy to go along with it.

This may well happen after the next election

So what is a wealthy pensioner?

What level will the means test start at? Half of the £36,800?

How many pensioners will have to send the wife back out to work just to keep the motorhome?

Will Phils plans for a larger motorhome be put on hold ?

All answers will be considered self opinionated argumentative tosh & not worthy of a reply.

Dezi c:

 

[ellisboy]

It's a Carlsberg question...

Probably!

 

[antiquesam]

Would someone please spare a copper for this impoverished motorhomer?:tongue::tongue:

 

[groyne]

So what is a wealthy pensioner?

One who is happy, healthy and can live within their means?

 

[mandymops]

Solution

For those of us for whom retirement is a mere dream, it seems all these questions will become moot as it seems none of us will ever be able to retire,there shall be no pensioners so hey ho-problem solved.We shall all be compelled to work till we drop for employers who don't want us whilst the young,energetic graduates remain unemployed.:sad: I suspect we may all be living in our vans:fun:.....and on that happy note,back to the grindstone.

 

[Smaug]

So what is a wealthy pensioner?

Yes, that was exactly my question when I heard that nonsense this morning. I understand that the "average wage is around 24k, so only people on 50% over average income can afford 2 kids?

What is it our MP's pay themselves? 120k pa?

 

[vwalan]

i believe its to keep the old codgers at home and not galavanting off in their motor homes when it suits them.
could make more room for us younger ones . old people should be gratefull for what they have had not what they will get . hee hee .:hammer::scared:

 

[Deleted member 21686]

It seems to be such a sin that pensioners are living longer. Shame on you pensioners.

But without the winter heating allowance the government may be lucky and they will stop this terrible trend.

 

[n brown]

i'm a pensioner and quite happy to top myself for the right money.then i can buy a better van.

 

[Dezi]

While I started the thread in a slightly humorous vain it is worrying that these cuts will probably go through because the general public believe its right that it should, pensioners are living to long and are not cost efficient for the public purse.

Since the recession started to bite several years ago an insidious rumour has been gathering strength, i.e. The older generation has had it all, grabbed the lot & the younger generation will have to pick up the pieces & work until they are 96 before retiring on a pittance of a pension.

Now I cannot speak for the rest of you old Gits, but that certainly was not the case in my instance & I strongly resent the implication that I have had more than my fair share (whatever that is) or that the current, economic, pension problems, climate change & dismal performance of the England football team were in any way caused by me.

Dezi c:

 

[John H]

I strongly resent the implication that I have had more than my fair share (whatever that is) or that the current, economic, pension problems, climate change & dismal performance of the England football team were in any way caused by me.

Dezi c:

I don't feel guilty that I was born at the right time - free medicine, free education up to and including University, virtually guaranteed job-for-life, early retirement etc etc - but I do feel sorry for our children and grandchildren who, whatever you feel about it, are going to have to pay for the life we had. It may not be our fault - let's blame the lack of forward-thinking of various governments if you like - but the system was unsustainable and now others will have to bear the brunt. Btw, it was your fault that England didn't win!

 

[maingate]

While I started the thread in a slightly humorous vain it is worrying that these cuts will probably go through because the general public believe its right that it should, pensioners are living to long and are not cost efficient for the public purse.

Since the recession started to bite several years ago an insidious rumour has been gathering strength, i.e. The older generation has had it all, grabbed the lot & the younger generation will have to pick up the pieces & work until they are 96 before retiring on a pittance of a pension.

Now I cannot speak for the rest of you old Gits, but that certainly was not the case in my instance & I strongly resent the implication that I have had more than my fair share (whatever that is) or that the current, economic, pension problems, climate change & dismal performance of the England football team were in any way caused by me.

Dezi c:

I have broad shoulders and will accept the blame for the state of the country and the rest of the world.

If only I had not cast my vote every 5 years, the world would be a different place. :sad:


If the Government wants to tackle the problem of too many pensioners then the answer is simple.

Give us free fags and Whisky. In 5 years the problem will have disappeared. 2 years if they also give us blue movies and Viagra. :king: