Right Honorable Duncan Smith, MP

[Mo2013]

I don't feel guilty collecting my pension. It is my right. I had money taken from my salary which was put into a state 'pot' so that I would receive a state pension upon retirement age. It not my fault if the money has gone and governments got their sums wrong. If you pay into an insurance scheme, you expect to receive what you were promised if you have to claim and similarly if you put your money into a bank you expect that money to be there when you come to draw on it, even if the bank has mismanaged its affairs.

[Kendhni]

and so it begins

last night I was out last night with a mate who was prattling on about his wonderful NHS pension ... he was actually trying to tell me it was fully funded ... no matter how hard I explained the proper economics to him, he still remained in his world of delusion that the pension scheme he was part of was totally sustainable ... he just kept going back to the old argument that it was part of his contract of employment (no argument there, but it assumes the next generation will pay).

When are people going to start waking up?

[Silver_Shiney]

When are people going to start waking up?

Probably when the money finally runs out.... by which time it'll be too late to do anything about it.

[towny44]

I read an interesting article in Peter Hitchens column in yesterdays MOS about pensioners extra benefits, in which he says he is not ashamed of seeking to get every penny he can back from the state, because most of his taxes have gone on things he does not like. Such as bad comprehensive schools, frightenly incompetent hospitals, motorways he hates, the EU and subsidies to fatherless families which condemn so many children to blighted lives. To which I would add useless green energy spending, far too generous overseas aid as well as the plethora of meaningless quangoes.
He goes on to say that if he can rescue any of his money from these purposes it isn't a free bus ride, a free prescription or a winter fuel allowance, but it is unhappy abused money, rescued from a sad fate and given a good home.
I don't always agree with PH but on this occasioin I think he has a point.

[Silver_Shiney]

Careful, Towny, I got criticised for admitting that I read the Mail!

[paultheeagle]

Towny

Do you think we should be allowed to choose what things our taxes are spent on

[Kendhni]

Careful, Towny, I got criticised for admitting that I read the Mail!

I wouldn't worry about it, some people actually read the Sun, the mirror and the Guardian as well

[Kendhni]

I don't always agree with PH but on this occasioin I think he has a point.

Sometimes I feel that way as well ... the two main unsustainable items being the size of the public sector and the cost of benefits.

However we all know that when people are given the choice any altrusitic budgets would be slashed, so it is probably better that we let the government departments work out their budgets ... but at the minute they really really need to look at what is sustainable ... the current spending can not go on.

[Andrea S]

I have read today that pensions are going to be stopped to overseas spouses , some who have never even visited the uk. This has been based on previous work history. Some 220,000 people receive these pensions. That is a lot of money.

[towny44]

Towny

Do you think we should be allowed to choose what things our taxes are spent on

I think maybe there should be regular referendums for the electorate to agree, or not, about any changes to taxation levels and public sector spending.
Given all recent govts. reluctance to set up any sort of referendum, it might just slow down the inexorable rise in public sectot spending.
Of course it will never happen, but I totally disagree with Ken that government depts are best left to work out their budgets, they have shown an increasing ineptitude during my lifetime, and no sign yet that things weill improve.

[Kendhni]

Given all recent govts. reluctance to set up any sort of referendum, it might just slow down the inexorable rise in public sectot spending.
Of course it will never happen, but I totally disagree with Ken that government depts are best left to work out their budgets, they have shown an increasing ineptitude during my lifetime, and no sign yet that things weill improve.

I did not explain that very well .. the public sector couldn't work out a budget if they were paid to (which they are).
What I mean is that because we do need a welfare system and because most people who would be expected to contribute would have it well down their list of things to fund it would never have the resources needed, therefore it is better to let the separation of the money be done by government based on whatever inept criteria they use. We are not an altruistic species therefore, unless forced to look after others, or there is some other 'reward', then in many cases it just would not happen.


Have you ever noticed that when it comes to some department needing more money they usually start by going to the media with some panic story to make it sound like their worthless department actually does something?

[Manoverboard]

I have read today that pensions are going to be stopped to overseas spouses , some who have never even visited the uk. This has been based on previous work history. Some 220,000 people receive these pensions. That is a lot of money.

It's a start, I would also freeze ALL Pension increases for anybody living overseas and then plug the loophole whereby they return to Blighty for a month and apply for their backdated increases.

If they get any other benefits like Fuel Allowance then that should also be axed.