17-March-2010

Justice for marginalised pensioners

Leave a comment

Related Gripes

Random Gripe

Gripes by email

Is it just me, or does anyone else agree that a minority of responsible pensioners are being marginalised, exploited, excluded, and ignored by the UK government?

There are 12,640,000 (rising daily) pensioners in the UK and by far the majority are well catered for by the state with the provision of social security benefits, pension credits and the like; over and above the basic pension. For those in genuine need this additional welfare disbursement is right and proper. Among this number though there is a minority of responsible pensioners who are consistently marginalised, exploited, excluded, and ignored by UK Government.

Read on and determine for yourself whether you fall within the category of responsible marginalised pensioners.

Did you pay taxes all of your working life?
Did you fulfil your obligation on National Insurance Contributions (NIC)?
Did you make provision in order not to become a burden on the state: SERPS, modest works or private pension, annuity, whatever?
Are you still paying tax in retirement?

Perhaps like me you are now beginning to wonder whether or not it was all a waste of time? You look around and see other pensioners who contributed little or nothing to the system drawing largesse from the public purse while you are excluded, struggle to make ends meet with the ever-spiralling cost of living, and find yourself delving into meagre savings just to stay afloat.

You pay in, they draw out; you get next to nothing!

Do you pay full council tax?
If you pay rent, do you pay the full amount?
Do you pay for eye care?
Do you pay for dental care?

Are you excluded from these state benefits?

Pension credit
Council tax relief
Rent allowance
Cold weather payments

Then you come across a government announcement that provides a glimmer of hope:

UK PENSIONERS MISS OUT ON OVER £2 BILLION OF CASH - A quarter of all pensioners (or over 3.16million) are not claiming their pension credits. Over £2 billion worth of pension credits will go unclaimed this year...

Oh yes? Try claiming pension credit if you fall within my definition of marginalised pensioner. All you will get is a curt answer advising that you are above the threshold and therefore excluded. Do not misunderstand me... Where legitimate need is identified, I am all for state intervention to ease the way, but the system is unfair, discriminatory, and the disbursement of welfare assistance uneven.

In excessively cold weather for example, do marginalised pensioners not freeze as much as those on benefits who qualify for cold weather payments? You are being marginalised, exploited, excluded; ignored by UK Government - and all because throughout your working life you were responsible and contributed in full to the system!

And not only will this injustice continue; it will get progressively worse for future generations of responsible marginalised pensioners unless we stand up now and be counted by exercising a concerted voice of protest.

Would you agree that UK Government operates an uneven policy in its welfare disbursements to pensioners?
Would you agree that responsible pensioners who veritably paid their dues during the working life should be exempt from council tax in their seventies, eighties, and beyond?
Would you be interested in joining a Marginalised Pensioners Protest Campaign?
Would you be proactive in promoting it?

If you agree with my gripe please sign the following petition:

Justice for Marginalised Pensioners

Other Related Gripes

Care assistant staff need more help
Here's what I think of our government
On benefits versus working for a living
Make them work for benefits
Elderly people assume teenagers are yobs
Heating system upgrade is causing stress
UK Council Tax system doesn't work
Old drivers create chaos on the roads
Older generation have the cash
Benefit-claiming council estate residents
Abusing the rights of the vulnerable
State pension tax complicated
Elderly lady gets a parking ticket
Bad driving habits and road safety
Thugs that killed an old lady
Over taxed by 'New Labour'
Elderly people have feelings too

I'm more upset about having my SERPS pension frozen. Can't we havve a petition about that? Write to your MP and prospective MP and ask the Chaqncellor to look again at this discriminatory action.

Darrener 15-Dec-2009 14:39

Pensioners should stop having babies. Most cannot afford them, nor can we expect the State to look after them when they are gone. Every pensioner should be given an approved state begging bowl, of a nationally approved standard size. Those on Maundy Money benefit should be taxed on capital gains.

Here we go round the mulberry bush 14-Sep-2009 14:15

how mush saving are you allowed on state pensions
for myself and my husband

old girl 14-Sep-2009 11:39

Mike. I read what you say but I would assume that as a pensioner you will still have to pay full tax (currently 22%) on your state pension even in 2010, which means as always it sounds good when they say you will get full pension, but forget to add the bit about paying tax on it, so you will get some and so will the government, therefore not a full 100%.

I hope in 50 to 60 years when the cretins who call themselves terminators(they are pobably more like the 7 stone weakling that used to get sand kicked in his face in the charles atlas adverts) get whats coming to them, ie no pension at all, because that I fear is what is going to be the case, and if they havent provided for the future, which I suspect they wont,(probably jobless at the moment and sponging off us, which of course they expect as a right) lets see how brave they are then when sitting in some unheated house, moaning about not having any, money and the younger generation getting it all and not them

chris 01-May-2009 16:48

You are correct, this is unfair, but cut off dates always disadvantage someone.

This is not correct :
"From April 2010, any male reaching the age of 65 will get 100% pension whether or not full NI contributions have been made."

The correct version is :
"From April 2010 any male reaching the age of 65 only needs to have made 30 years of contributions (previously it was more) to qualify for full pension."

MikeP 10-Apr-2009 11:01

Unfair government policies!

Here's another one for the list. Due to redundancy I have not paid enough NI contributions to get the full state pension and neither has a friend of mine. From April 2010, any male reaching the age of 65 will get 100% pension whether or not full NI contributions have been made. I attain the age of 65 in March 2010 and will not get 100% pension, my friend is 65 in April 2010 and will get 100% pension. Where is the logic in that. Instead of cut-off dates, why not apply a rule from the date of announcement and only announce when applicable? Joined up thinking? Ministers are not capable of such a thing.

Anonymous 10-Apr-2009 10:39

I can not get enough sex and my husband does not have enough stamina. What am I going to do?

sexless 22-Mar-2009 17:07

Well done the Irish. Their government has clawed back the pensions of their pubic services retirees. Belonging to the Euro-system they can't print money anymore. So watch out for our Government. They are already got printing presses rolling.

Exterminator XXIII 22-Feb-2009 19:35

Hello all you 'Exterminators'.Just pause for a moment,remember why you were given two ears,two eyes and one mouth.I was what you are,you will be what I am,if you're lucky.
Young men think they know it all,old men know they don't..Good luck with your Life..

Stromboli,(always active). 09-Feb-2009 18:46

What's manners got to do with it? You are old Father WiIliam and your hair has become incredibly grey, as have your views. You are not with it. Euthanasia is all the rage. Most politicians agree that there are going to be far too many oldies for the nation to support in the not so distant future. They will be supporting laws to cull the excess. If we don't take action soon enough, the four horsemen of the apocalypse will - Pestilence, Famine, War and Death - a veritable Malthusian end to a decaying rotten nation.

Exterminator XVII 31-Jan-2009 21:19

You've just proved my point Ex. X111.

Try this one on for size...

http://teach-me-some-manners.org/wimps

Old Guy with a Beard 31-Jan-2009 12:33

Justice for the young

Living too long: http://tinyurl.com/d9zcgw

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euthanasia

Do yourself a favour. Book an appointment with your local vet and have yourself quietly put down, when it's plain your life is no longer worth living and you are nothing but a burden to the rest of the nation.

Exterminator XIII 30-Jan-2009 21:48

View more comments on this gripe

Justice for marginalised pensioners

Other Related Gripes

Visitor Comments