I'm on the warpath again.

[Norman Verona]

Just heard the government is planning a universal pension. Whether you've paid in or not.

 

HM gets a limited pension because when we started the first business she worked full time but didn't get paid for about 2 years. So they say as she didn't pay in she can't have a full pension. I back paid as much as they would allow me to, but she still only gets about 70%

 

No problem, I understand if you don't pay in you can't draw out.

 

My sister-in-law went to Israel when she was 16. She came back to the UK about 35 years later. She has an Israeli state pension. She reckons she will get a FULL UK pension next year when she's 60.

 

Now, everyone from 2017 will get a pension.

 

Do you think I have cause for complaint?

 

Answers on a postcard to Mr Cameron, 10 Downing St., London, SW1.

[pistonbroke]

Pensions are a very sore point in this household

 

The paul ankers of this world who ruined mine should be taken outside and shot , its times like these that makes me think Adolf had some good points    

[FILFAN]

I think too think hitler had some great ideas but they seem to have overshadowed somehow.

[Young Pretender]

What do you mean by everyone Norm, would be interested to see a linky?

The government are always fettling with pensions and are introducing things like auto enrolment and flat rates but they won't be giving money away for sure.

[Norman Verona]

The news report said "everyone" will get a pension, whether or not they have contributed. It cited mothers who currently lost out if they stayed at home to raise children.

 

Remember, even though our MPs seem to have forgotten that a pension is not a benefit, you pay for it through your NI contributions. It's your money that you've paid into a pension scheme. However, now it's being turned into a benefit. I wonder if my wife's pension will be increased to the standard rate when "everyone" gets a pension.

 

I'm not sure what good points Hitler had. Bernie seems to be talking about a private pension, I'm talking about the state pension.

[jim_l]

Norman - I Haven't seen anything to suggest it would be universal, i.e. payable whether you contributed or not...that would be a daft thing to contemplate at any time, never mind in the current climate. I think (hope) the report you have heard is inaccurate, or UK PLC is more bankrupt than we thought.

 

There is talk of reducing the requirement to 30 years contributions to cater for, as in your example, people that had years of not contributing due to raising children.

 

 

if your sister in law believes she can pop back to the UK for the last few years of her working life and pick up a full pension I think she may be in for a surprise too...unless of course she plans to 'hide' her Israeli state pension and claim the means tested 'pension credit' here.

[Young Pretender]

Think you might be talking about this?

 

http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/pensions/article-2207101/Will-win-lose-goes-flat-rate-pension.html

 

So there will be winners and losers.  Would be interested to know what their definition of 'everyone' is because it can't mean EVERYONE.  Can it?

 

If this scheme is what your sister thinks she will benefit from she may be best to wait for the particulars to be agreed.  If she thinks she will benefit under the existing scheme, could she be wrong?  Many people are.  It would bother me too if I thought that an Israeli resident of 35 years could claim our state pension.

[pistonbroke]

everyone gets some sort of pension as it is , the difference is in the name , for some its a pension , for others its called benefits . my guess is its a gov ploy to put all on pension so they can cut down costs for those worthy people who currently claim thousands a month on benefits

[SootySport]

I guess Universal Pension means just that, we all get the same whatever. Note the costs to administer will be minimal, no arguments, we all get the same. Seems a good idea to me.

[Norman Verona]

Yes, that seems to mean everyone.

 

So, someone who's never paid in a penny in NI is going to get £600 a month while my wife who stayed off work to raise two kids and then missed contributions for 2 years gets just over half. 

 

How can that be fair?

[User0083]

I could do my usual, but I'm on side with you Norman.

Slightly different, I signed up for 22yrs service with a great pension. 2004 they changed it, have us option to change. I didn't, every man and his dog tried talking me into changing. Now 2015 there's another pension coming in and everyone has to change. If I complete 22yrs service, don't get promoted again in my last 11yrs if service I get a nice lump sum, monthly pay out, then at 65 monthly money changes. The new system has no pay lump sum and no monthly pay out... Now it's nothing until 65!

Many people across services in my position and stitched out of silly money.

[User0083]

Let's get on it Norman!

I had a friend that worked her whole life, job at 14 after school, college, Uni... Had a respectable job. Then company folded, she was made redundant and couldn't find a job for a while, tried to get benefits, was told something to do with being made redundant disqualified her from certain benefits. Then when she managed to claim something it only lasted a while due to contribution's made by her running out!

Basically it sounds like you only get out what you pay in...

Unless you pay nothing in, which entitles you to what seems to be maximum pay out.

[Norman Verona]

Slight change in detail, Stephan but I'm aware that some armed forces are being made redundant. So how does my step grandson get taken in as a new recruit?

 

Can't do that in civvie street.

[User0083]

Norm,

PM sent to stop getting off topic too much

[s2rrr]

How come all these deserving souls who haven't paid max NI and tax for 40+ years still get the same as me. Don't mind a bit of socialism at times but when I started work in 1968 that was my plan, not to have the rug pulled out just before I qualify and have to pay some nere do wells bl**dy pension as well.. What with my bus pass getting canned till possibly July then my heating allowance under threat its all 45 years too late. If they had told me that then I would have made sure I was claiming loads years ago like a huge percentage of the population who probably don't need it. In reality I was awarded the grand sum of £0.00.

 

I do think however that the way pensioners have been treated over the years is abominable

 

Time for Cameron to go but to be replaced by whom grommit don't think so.

 

Bob , I'm off to spray my mirrors.