General Chat

We will both have company pensions. You can however opt out of the auto enrolment and for my age group auto enrolment did not exist when we started working. My dad however has always offered good financial advice and he helped me set up a pension as soon as I started working.

I sent an email to Ms Reeves this morning:

Dear Ms Reeves

Despite the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO)’s report in favour of compensation for WASPI women, it seems the Labour Party hasn't set any money aside for compensation.
Then, yesterday, we were informed that those not in receipt of Pension Credit will no longer receive the Winter Fuel Payment

As someone born in 1956, who had her pension age increased twice, I feel I have, yet again, been kicked in the teeth.
Why?
I'm on Basic State Pension, which is currently £221.20 a week.
Anyone on Pension Credit - who, generally were born before 1950, and retired at 60, get their pension 'topped up' to £218.15 a week - £2.05 less than I receive
So I worked an extra 6 years, to end up a whole £106.60 a year better off.
And now, due to your stopping the Winter Fuel Payment for those not on Pension Credit, and because my pension is £2.05 a week 'too much' I'm going to end up worse off than someone who worked for 6 years less than me - paid 6 years less NI, 6 years less Tax, and has their pension 'topped up'. Is that fair?
I'm obviously not the only person in this situation.

Then there's the approximately 850,000 people who are entitled to Pension Credit, but don't claim it.
Are you going to encourage these people to claim? If they all did, that would cost the Government £1.7 billion - and then the cost of their Winter Fuel Allowance - only for those on Pension Credit, of course.

I realise you were left with a financial 'black hole', but trying to remedy it by 'attacking' those on the breadline, and making even more pensioners poorer, doesn't seem very useful.

I have just read this on BBC news

From winter 2024 fuel payments in England and Wales will be restricted to those on benefits and pension credit

The devolved governments in Scotland and Northern Ireland will make a decision on whether to follow the new policy

I'm not holding my breath.

I believe my kids voted Labour so I've just informed them that I expect them to provide our winter fuel allowance! Daughter said she would post us a lump of coal each week but agreed that it's not really a laughing matter esp. when I pointed out that any savings we had will probably get clobbered one way or another before we can pass them on to the family.
I know they aren't relying on inheriting anything but it's money we've worked and saved hard for over many years and never had a penny off the state.

Rant over!

Wish I had a fireplace ;-)

Maggie - well written but I doubt they’ll even acknowledge it.

I’m trying to work out when I can spend my savings on which will increase in value enough to cover all the raids planned.

Are MP's going to forego their heating allowances?

Probably not especially as so many of them will be losing their WFA ;-)

My mum has lost her WFA and whilst not poor she's certainly not rich.
It's annoying that her and my father saved their money when they could no overseas holidays, only one small not expensive car (and not even that when first married), didn't go out much in the evenings couldn't afford to and too tired.
They've watched friends and relatives spend everything they've got and then some and now they seem to be given everything for free. Has anyone actually calculated whether someone on full benefits gets more than a senior who doesn't get pension credit etc?
My mum won't freeze or starve because we're make sure she doesn't, what about some others though. If you own your own house there's always costs involved they add up.
All Governments lie to get voted in but this was super fast. How about looking at the cost of all the illegal immigrants, people working and claiming unemployment, people not paying their tax it all adds up don't attack the pensioners who paid tax all their working lives.

Names, the email was ''acknowledged', but informed me I had to go through some hoops to send her a message.
So I did!
Also sent a similar message to my local (Lib Dem) MP.

Age Concern have a petition:

https://campaigns.ageuk.org.uk/page/154268/petition/1?locale=en-GB

Maggie- thanks for the link, we have both signed it.

What do you think of the idea that free prescriptions may go? I have wondered why that hasn’t followed the retirement age.
We have three each a month on average.
I’m also worried that our bus service will finally go without the funding that may have come the way of rural services.

Names, I have to admit, despite not being on Pension Credit, I've, strangely, got an NHS Free Prescription pass - and it's for 4 years!
It's worth seeing if you can get it.

https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/prescriptions/check-if-you-can-get-free-prescriptions/

As for bus services - one of my last jobs was collating responses to Winchester stopping 'charity' taxis. These 'taxis' were private cars, driven by lovely people, who only charged for petrol. They took people from rural areas, or those who couldn't use a bus, to doctor and hospital appointments.
All the Council did was pay for the extra MOT's the cars needed. I think the drivers paid for their own CRB tests.

The majority who replied to the questionnaire were in favour of keeping the taxis. The Council had done their 'tick box' procedure, and stopped paying for the extra MOT's, thus ensuring many of these taxis stopped.

Don’t understand your free pass as prescriptions are free for the over 60’s ( so far) is it left over from before your birthday.

If it does happen we will have to go back to the prepaid prescription. Worked well when OH & daughter could get gluten free stuff on prescription - saved a bomb.

We do have volunteer drivers where give the driver a sum, some I’d deducted to run the service and the driver gets the rest. I’ve only had to use it once, after I had my knee done and my friend went on holiday.

How many would simply stop taking their prescribed medication, if they had to pay for it.?
My medication would cost several pounds a week and I'm likely to have a life long need of them..

That's true - but this includes the dentist and optician.
Is that usually free for retirees.
I say 'retirees' as I couldn't retire, and apply until I was 66.

Bus service? What's that?

Eye tests free for over 60's, every 2 years unless there are other factors which make them more frequent.
NHS dentists are few and far between, and not free specifically for retirees.

Wooo!
I was about to go to bed, and looked at my emails.
My local MP (Lib Dem) has asked for more details, and for explicit permission to share my personal information and details with those whom they contact, such as government ministers.
My MP had questioned Ms Reeves about the WASPI women, and the cutting of the Winter Allowance when she made the statement.

I shall be replying 'yes' tomorrow :-D

Well done Maggie lets hope they can run with it and get some results you never know.

And so it goes on. It was obvious when they gave that massive pay rise to the junior doctors that the rest would demand more . Now it looks like the GPs are going to take action, so lots less appointments, slow in issuing prescriptions, not communicating with hospitals etc. That is going to have a huge knock on effect on hospitals especially A&E as everyone goes there instead. It doesn’t matter wether the junior doctors deserved the rise or not, just the very fact that they got it was going to make every other worker in the country believe that all they have to do is strike and the government will cave in

A labour government will always cave in it is just the way of the beast. :-|

I have little time for the Juniors Doctors. Most workers think that their income has not kept up with the cost of living and I'm not sure why they think they are so special, expecting a 35% pay increase for goodness sake :-|

I agree with LaG you give into one and the rest follow...the domino effect :-0

All this will do is fuel inflation :-0

All the Junior Doctors can work towards being Consultants and then the skies the limit. Being a Junior Doctor is like being an Apprentice but like most Apprentices they don't reap the full potential income until they have put in their years :-0

They have all taken the Hippocratic Oath where they swear to not harm their patients. By striking and withdrawing their service they are not only harming people but it is totally unprofessional too :-|

Rant over :-D