The Starmer Years - Can The New Broom Sweep Clean?

[Farmer Saint]

I do agree with removal of the triple lock though...sorry TD

[tdmickey3]

Just now, Farmer Saint said:

I do agree with removal of the triple lock though...sorry TD

As long as those who need more help get it but means testing is usually a mess

[egg]

1 hour ago, Farmer Saint said:

I think the two kid cap removal is fine, but also needs to be part of a complete rehaul of the benefits system in general.

Two kid cap I'm somewhat torn on, but on balance I would have kept it on affordability rather than moral grounds. The whole welfare system needs overhaul - state pension included. What grates with me is people shouting to slash welfare, but never the part of the welfare system they hope to benefit from. 

[Weston Super Saint]

7 hours ago, Farmer Saint said:

Inflation down more than expected, 0.5% rate cut please BoE.

Meh.  5+% works for me  - having paid the mortgage off nice and early  

[egg]

3 hours ago, tdmickey3 said:

Fair enough but we know how good all governments are at means testing....

I'm very much on the camp of supporting all those in society who need it, pensioner's included. Getting it right won't be easy, but it's doable.  

[iansums]

1 hour ago, egg said:

Two kid cap I'm somewhat torn on, but on balance I would have kept it on affordability rather than moral grounds. The whole welfare system needs overhaul - state pension included. What grates with me is people shouting to slash welfare, but never the part of the welfare system they hope to benefit from. 

Not me, I agree that the triple lock needs to be scrapped even though it would be detrimental to me personally.

[Lord Duckhunter]

In real terms, the state pension should be worth the same the day you die as the day you retire. In other words should increase with inflation only, a single lock. If that means an increase of .55p, so be it. I don’t blame pensioners for wanting to protect the triple lock though, and it’s not just selfishness. Gordon Brown well and truly fucked private sector pensions, and even now the Government attack the same private pensions with this salary sacrifice stuff.
 

The ridiculous thing is it’s not today’s  pensioners and “gammon” over 50 at the moment who’ll suffer, it’s the next generation and the generation after that. Our generation had a few years with defined benefit pensions, and got decent tax breaks for bunging a few extra quid in. Politicians left pensions alone to give stability and assurance, now they create uncertainty and doubt and look at them as ripe for picking. God knows what age today’s 40year olds will be working to and god knows how they’ll afford a decent retirement. 

[whelk]

41 minutes ago, egg said:

I'm very much on the camp of supporting all those in society who need it, pensioner's included. Getting it right won't be easy, but it's doable.  

You don’t want to be subsidising bastards who deliberately don’t save for pensions when sensible people plan. Will be genuine cases but I know of some who done fuck all when should know better

[hypochondriac]

22 minutes ago, whelk said:

You don’t want to be subsidising bastards who deliberately don’t save for pensions when sensible people plan. Will be genuine cases but I know of some who done fuck all when should know better

TBF though when young people now get old their pensions will essentially be worthless no matter what they save.

[egg]

10 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

TBF though when young people now get old their pensions will essentially be worthless no matter what they save.

I'm not sure about that. Invest well, and they'll be ok. The issue is doing that as property will take priority and getting started there isn't easy. 

[Holmes_and_Watson]

1 hour ago, Lord Duckhunter said:

In real terms, the state pension should be worth the same the day you die as the day you retire. In other words should increase with inflation only, a single lock. If that means an increase of .55p, so be it. I don’t blame pensioners for wanting to protect the triple lock though, and it’s not just selfishness. Gordon Brown well and truly fucked private sector pensions, and even now the Government attack the same private pensions with this salary sacrifice stuff.
 

The ridiculous thing is it’s not today’s  pensioners and “gammon” over 50 at the moment who’ll suffer, it’s the next generation and the generation after that. Our generation had a few years with defined benefit pensions, and got decent tax breaks for bunging a few extra quid in. Politicians left pensions alone to give stability and assurance, now they create uncertainty and doubt and look at them as ripe for picking. God knows what age today’s 40year olds will be working to and god knows how they’ll afford a decent retirement. 

I fully expect to have been dead for at least a decade, before I'm allowed to retire.

[iansums]

1 hour ago, egg said:

I'm not sure about that. Invest well, and they'll be ok. The issue is doing that as property will take priority and getting started there isn't easy. 

Very true, start early even with small amounts. As Martin Lewis would say, personal finance should be part of the school curriculum.

[hypochondriac]

1 hour ago, egg said:

I'm not sure about that. Invest well, and they'll be ok. The issue is doing that as property will take priority and getting started there isn't easy. 

If you invest money sure. I was talking more about a young person sticking money in a pension scheme. At that point the retirement age will be nearer 80.

Edited 17 hours ago by hypochondriac

[egg]

1 hour ago, iansums said:

Very true, start early even with small amounts. As Martin Lewis would say, personal finance should be part of the school curriculum.

Agreed. Trigonometry isn't much use in life, but money / life skills are essential. 

[whelk]

14 minutes ago, egg said:

Agreed. Trigonometry isn't much use in life, but money / life skills are essential. 

Useful if you want to know the optimum angle to cross the road in most efficient way. Although who carries a slide rule with them these days

[Gloucester Saint]

Good - sick of UK citizens stirring this up. If you want to kick off and fight, fly out there and get stuck in by all means. Or if you want to advocate for Palestinian rights in a peaceful and constructive way then I actually have plenty of empathy with you. But to chant these slogans such as Intifada and from the River to the Sea are extremist, and incitement to others https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cde65de81jgo