Right Honorable Duncan Smith, MP

[gfwgfw]

A very interesting radio program based on DS suggestion that the OAP should help balance the treasury books by for giving some, all of their financial age related benefits back to the exchequer

Of course it attracted lots of txts, e-mails and phone calls to the proceedings

Being in receipt of these allowances I do feel the pudding has been over egged by varying governments to curry favor with the now huge voting power of us old farts

I now intend to forego my imminent 25p (less tax) weekly increase in my state pension

Seriously, I do think that the right honorable gentleman does arguably have a viable point

Has poverty transgressed from the elderly to the younger boys/girls starting to get a foot hold in life ?

[Not so ancient mariner]

I assume this is IDS who is under discussion, not some other MP called Duncan Smith that I am not familiar with.

[paultheeagle]

What IDS failed to tell you was how do rich seniors pay their benefits back....I don't think it's quite that easy.....I agree with him to a certain extent but however well off some people may be most 'old farts' have worked hard and therefore earned their benefits and so should keep them.

Means testing ain't an answer either, apparently it would cost more to do the paper work than it would to pay the oldies out.

I think all we can do is to try and encourage rich pensioners to donate their TV licence money and winter fuel allowance to charity and for them to bin their freedom pass.

By the way gfwgfw IDS is 'tuss pot' and is one of the nastiest Tories there is...He also seems to think that someone can live on £54.00 a week how far removed from reality can you be, he also like taking benefits off disabled people.......Altogether now..a big boo for the rich millionaire Tory...Boooooooooooooo

[Holiday Planner]

Part of the problem is that pension packages in the 70s / 80s were over generous, and now the people who got those pensions are living longer than forecast (which is good!), but it means that the subsequent generations are having to supplement those pensions when paying into a scheme.

[gfwgfw]

I assume this is IDS who is under discussion, not some other MP called Duncan Smith that I am not familiar with.

Spot on I stand corrected

Thank you

[Silver_Shiney]

Airports and docks have computers that flag up when an undesirable is attempting to leave or enter the country and presents his passport for inspection.

I have a problem with the winter fuel allowance being paid to those who travel to warmer climes for the winter. So can this software/hardware, which is already in place, not be adapted to flag up when those in receipt of the allowance go away and come back, and then make the appropriate adjustments to how much benefit is paid?

[Not so ancient mariner]

Would that include cruises in March?

[Silver_Shiney]

depends on whether the cold weather allowance is in issue, sir

[Not so ancient mariner]

PTE, Can you explain why you chose to refer to IDS as a rich millionaire. Do you happen to know any poor ones?

[paultheeagle]

PTE, Can you explain why you chose to refer to IDS as a rich millionaire. Do you happen to know any poor ones?

Nsam

A figure of speach old boy....apologise if my grammar ain't up to your very high standards

[Capt Black]

Airports and docks have computers that flag up when an undesirable is attempting to leave or enter the country and presents his passport for inspection.

I have a problem with the winter fuel allowance being paid to those who travel to warmer climes for the winter. So can this software/hardware, which is already in place, not be adapted to flag up when those in receipt of the allowance go away and come back, and then make the appropriate adjustments to how much benefit is paid?

Silver Shiney - you is attempting to deprive me of my (at some point) forthcoming inheritance!

[Silver_Shiney]

Silver Shiney - you is attempting to deprive me of my (at some point) forthcoming inheritance!

Well, if I can't share it, why should I let you have it?

[Kendhni]

It is one of those arguments that I can see both sides of the story on ... why should those who have contributed the most to society not be entitled to get a little back even if it is a pittence in the overall picture ... versus those who have spent a lifetime of holding the hand out expecting it to be lined with more and more (the sort that deprive those in genuine need of funds).

Personally I would suggest NOT giving the money back to the government but instead donate it to a worthwhile charity that supports people in genuine poverty.

It is good to see someone finally having the balls to carry out an overhaul of the benefits system (long long overdue) ... sadly it does mean that a small number of people that should not get caught up in the changes will (naturally the media will play to the gullible masses and sensaitonalise such instances).

[Manoverboard]

Perhaps they should tax the Winter Fuel Allowance and £10 Xmas gift via the Tax Code of pensioners who pay tax. A simple cost effective measure and one that is, or seems to be, fair to all.

[paultheeagle]

If the well off pensioners do donate their benefits to charity then they should donate them to charities that support British people, not send it abroad.

There are plenty of people living in poverty in this country but most Tories bury their heads in the sand and pretend there is none....

Charity begins at home.
.

[Quizzical Bob]

Perhaps they should tax the Winter Fuel Allowance and £10 Xmas gift via the Tax Code of pensioners who pay tax. A simple cost effective measure and one that is, or seems to be, fair to all.

Simpler still to merge the two payments into the weekly pension payments.

[Delboy]

You cannot give the money back to the Government as there is no provision in place to do so.

All you can do, if you don't want it, is give it to a charity of your choice, or another suggestion I have heard, is to spend in your small local shops, in order to help them survive.

If you have a bus pass and want to save the council money, don't use it. It costs the council more money each time it is used.

There are a hell of a lot of pensioners out there, who do not pay tax, because their incomes are insufficient, and these additional payments are a god send.

However, you may not find many of them on a cruise forum.

[gfwgfw]

Greetings from a glorious rursl Darzet

Twice I have patiently awaited a reply addressed to my local Councillor regarding the cost of my bus pass to the local/national funds

No information so far

Does any shipmate know how my bus pass is financed ?

Thank you

[Keechy]

What constitutes a rich/well off pensioner? Is it someone with say £1,000,000 in the bank or £150,000 or £50,000? Bear in mind that in most cases, what money a pensioner has now has to last for the rest of their lives. Now that pensioners are living longer, it is very inconvenient for the government and they are not dying off soon enough.

[Silver_Shiney]

Not dying off soon enough is a problem we experience with every government....

[sumdumbloke]

Well we could start with any pensioner who pays tax at the higher rate. Not only should they not get the fringe benefits (winter fuel, TV licence etc) but I think it's arguable that they should receive a state funded pension at all (please no comments about their having 'paid in' - it doesn't work that way).

[howard18]

Well we could start with any pensioner who pays tax at the higher rate. Not only should they not get the fringe benefits (winter fuel, TV licence etc) but I think it's arguable that they should receive a state funded pension at all (please no comments about their having 'paid in' - it doesn't work that way).

I have just checked with my accountant. You are quite right that pensioners receive the state pension regardless of income. However, if I earn over £100K per year then my allowances are stripped away from me.By the time I reach £118K per annum then I lose all my personal allowances - which are some £10,500 p.a. I think this goes some way to the wealthy having their pensions removed.

Regards - Howard

[sumdumbloke]

Well we could start with any pensioner who pays tax at the higher rate. Not only should they not get the fringe benefits (winter fuel, TV licence etc) but I think it's arguable that they should receive a state funded pension at all (please no comments about their having 'paid in' - it doesn't work that way).

I have just checked with my accountant. You are quite right that pensioners receive the state pension regardless of income. However, if I earn over £100K per year then my allowances are stripped away from me.By the time I reach £118K per annum then I lose all my personal allowances - which are some £10,500 p.a. I think this goes some way to the wealthy having their pensions removed.

Regards - Howard

It deals with the super wealthy but doesn't do anything for those pensioners whose income falls between £35,000 and £118,000. At that level of income I see no need for state support at all.

[Dark Knight]

Perhaps the sate pension should only be paid to pensioners with an income on or below the maximum benefit payment of £26,000 or whatever the new figure is
anyone with a pension equivalent to a good wage of say £35,000 and above could surrender their freebies like winter fuel, bus pass etc etc and this could be put back into the pension pot, to pay those on a lower income
those with an income of above £50,000 really can't claim poverty or the need for a pension surely??

[howard18]

"those with an income of above £50,000 really can't claim poverty or the need for a pension surely??"

No, but after tax, it pays for at least one decent cruise a year


Regards - Howard