Public sector pensions strike?

[leefer]

We already have S2P.

I know that....do away with all pensions except the state one.....make us pay more but give us a state pension that we can live on,it really is that simple.
If you want extra money on top of that.........you could always save some.

[Samdy Gray]

(I haven't really thought this through - but it could work - maybe)

I see what you mean and in some ways simplification would help. If you ask people how much (in % terms) tax they pay they'd probably be able to tell you. I doubt it's the same for NI though.

[Batch]

If you want extra money on top of that.........you could always save some.

Like a private pension

[jonny72]

My job security (and all benefits that I had within the job) have disappeared in past few years. I work comparable hours to those in the private sector and get a fraction of the pay.

I know we've done this before but if it's that bad get a job in the private sector and if you can't then maybe your public sector job isn't as bad as you think it is.

[janaage]

I know that....do away with all pensions except the state one.....make us pay more but give us a state pension that we can live on,it really is that simple.
If you want extra money on top of that.........you could always save some.

Fuck that, massive step too far. Whoah there!!!!

[Samdy Gray]

I know that....do away with all pensions except the state one.....make us pay more but give us a state pension that we can live on,it really is that simple.

Sorry, I can't agree with that. If people can't be motivated to make sure they've got sufficient income in retirement then fuck them, I'm not having the government force me to contribute (more of) my hard earned into some state run scheme because of other people's idleness.

[jonny72]

I see what you mean and in some ways simplification would help.

Wasn't there some talk that the Tories had been considering switching to a flat rate tax system?

I'm all in favour of simplification, I'm sure absorbing NI in to Income Tax would save a fortune for the country as a whole.

[janaage]

If we managed top earners to pay tax that might help. I mean the super rich i.e. sports stars. But don't put them through the everything over £xk you have to pay 50%, cap it. Perhaps then the ultra-rich won't be constantly looking for ways out of paying tax. Or perhaps have a scheme where x amount of their tax is not lost forever to HMRC coffers but lent to the government somehow.  I'm just rambling again....

[leefer]

Sorry, I can't agree with that. If people can't be motivated to make sure they've got sufficient income in retirement then fuck them, I'm not having the government force me to contribute (more of) my hard earned into some state run scheme because of other people's idleness.

Well you are doing that anyway Sam i am afraid at present....the majority work hard so the majority would reap the benefits.....you cannot stop forward thinking because of the idle minority.

[janaage]

Sorry, I can't agree with that. If people can't be motivated to make sure they've got sufficient income in retirement then fuck them, I'm not having the government force me to contribute (more of) my hard earned into some state run scheme because of other people's idleness.

Problem with this idea is whilst it would start off as a 'everyone gets the same' it's not fair on a couple of counts.

1. People get used to living on what they earn. So if Samdy works hard for a living gets to £xk at retirement then gets some shite (relatively speaking) level of pension, whilst some bloke who's not done much to improve his salary from day one gets the same pension, I'd not be happy (if I were Samdy).

2. You just know it'd start off as a everyone gets the same, then a couple of years before you're due to retire the government would introduce means testing. If you've got x in the bank, you're flat rate pension gets reduced.

And they wonder why people are nervous of investing in pensions when rules changes happen every 6 months. People don't know how or when they'll be able to take them.

[janaage]

Well you are doing that anyway Sam i am afraid at present....the majority work hard so the majority would reap the benefits.....you cannot stop forward thinking because of the idle minority.

But he's not as he has a private pension to look forward to, plus the amazing state pension, and S2P!

[Samdy Gray]

Well you are doing that anyway Sam i am afraid at present....the majority work hard so the majority would reap the benefits.....you cannot stop forward thinking because of the idle minority.

It's not a minority though leefer, it's a majority.

29 million people in work
3.2 million contribute to a workplace pension
6.4 million contribute to a personal pension

That's 19.4 million people who are doing precisely nothing about their retirement planning and I for one am not prepared to fund it for them.

[janaage]

I'd say there's more than 19.4m doing nothing Samdy, as the 3.2m contributing to a workplace pension probably make up a huge chunk of the 6.4m contributing to the personal pensions.

[otanswell]

No doubt that cunt Bob Crow will be at the front
Id strike that cunt with an iron bar if i could

[Ironside]

I know that....do away with all pensions except the state one.....make us pay more but give us a state pension that we can live on,it really is that simple.
If you want extra money on top of that.........you could always save some.

I don't agree.

Get rid of the "state pension" and the associated tax. You either work for it and save it independentaly, or get fuck all. End of story. (there's a story on benefits in there too, perhaps for another thread...)

Massive ponzi scheme (as has been said by better people than me).