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Discounts for OAPs


chunkyshanhawk53 said:
And now they’re largely wealthier, whilst a lot of other people struggle with cost of living etc.

The electronics example is completely moot, that’s a function of technology moving on.
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Fair enough, bad example.

The bottom line is that despite cost of living rises, people have more disposable income, more luxury goods and more jobs (unemployment is considerably lower) than those who were parents in the 70s and 80s, and are our OAPs now.

They struggled and towards the end of their life have it easier. For a life time of struggle, I don't feel bitter hatred for my mam and her mates getting a slightly cheaper meal. Shame on anyone who is so would up, selfish and bitter that they don't want our parent's generation having a small discount, from the spiteful point of view that they can't have it.

There are a few posters on here who I thought were decent and have really disappointed me.
 
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Frijj said:
I don’t begrudge you your state pension, nor do I dispute that you’ve earned it. I said just the other day I fully support a state pension for everyone who pays into it.

What I begrudge is the freebies given out to a group of people who have a triple locked income guaranteed by the state.

You didn’t “pay into” a free bus pass, free prescriptions or the triple lock. You paid into a state pension and you’re not “entitled” to any of those things.

Lower income working aged people, let’s say someone working full time on £26-£30k are being squeezed badly by the cost of living and get very little help from the state, whilst pensioners are still treated as though they’re an incredibly impoverished group. You’re not, not as a group nor you specifically.

You have a pension that other people can only dream of. I doubt the average person of my generation will see anything close to a £43k a year pension, so why should we be paying more in taxes to fund freebies for the richest pensioners ever?
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I have a pension that other people can only dream of because from the age of 19 I had good advice and the foresight to contribute 13% of my pay, and another percentage of my pay in NI. Indexed linked thats why its grown to what it is now.

Do your taxes really fund State Pension? or do NI contributions? Im seriously not sure.
 
socrates said:
I have a pension that other people can only dream of because from the age of 19 I had good advice and the foresight to contribute 13% of my pay, and another percentage of my pay in NI. Indexed linked thats why its grown to what it is now.

Do your taxes really fund State Pension? or do NI contributions? Im seriously not sure.
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Why do you want stuff for free then?
 
DisillusionedOldGit said:
I pay tax in 2 countries. I also pay tax on money I've never had.
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That does not seem fair.

If you are retired I think you have paid your way and you should be able to reap the fruits of your labours.

I don’t get how you can pay tax on money you’ve never had but I hope it’s not a lot of money you’ve never had or you could have a wopping big tax bill.
 
The state pension is a massive cost but
Frijj said:
I don’t begrudge you your state pension, nor do I dispute that you’ve earned it. I said just the other day I fully support a state pension for everyone who pays into it.

What I begrudge is the freebies given out to a group of people who have a triple locked income guaranteed by the state.

You didn’t “pay into” a free bus pass, free prescriptions or the triple lock. You paid into a state pension and you’re not “entitled” to any of those things.

Lower income working aged people, let’s say someone working full time on £26-£30k are being squeezed badly by the cost of living and get very little help from the state, whilst pensioners are still treated as though they’re an incredibly impoverished group. You’re not, not as a group nor you specifically.

You have a pension that other people can only dream of. I doubt the average person of my generation will see anything close to a £43k a year pension, so why should we be paying more in taxes to fund freebies for the richest pensioners ever?
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How many work or private pensions are £43 though?
I'm 56 now and paid into a pension since I was 18. I'll get nothing near that. I'll definitely need the state pension as well.
Big Jeff said:
I don’t think pensioners should pay tax.

They have contributed all their lives and deserve to enjoy themselves into retirement.

I have a proposal for how we could make up the shortfall but, guess what, you ain’t gonna like it.
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Disagree.
 
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socrates said:
I have a pension that other people can only dream of because from the age of 19 I had good advice and the foresight to contribute 13% of my pay, and another percentage of my pay in NI. Indexed linked thats why its grown to what it is now.

Do your taxes really fund State Pension? or do NI contributions? Im seriously not sure.
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Sort of. Your contributions go into the National Insurance Fund, but it's used to pay the pensions of current retirees. There isn't a pot with your name on it.
 
socrates said:
I have a pension that other people can only dream of because from the age of 19 I had good advice and the foresight to contribute 13% of my pay, and another percentage of my pay in NI. Indexed linked thats why its grown to what it is now.

Do your taxes really fund State Pension? or do NI contributions? Im seriously not sure.
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Good for you mate, but you're making my argument for me. You've had the very good fortune to be born at exactly the right time.

People of my age will never have the luck you've had and in all likelihood will never enjoy any of the benefits you've had either. There will be no state pension when I'm 70. There'll be no bus pass. No free prescriptions.

If young people don't think that they'll get to enjoy the things you claim you're "entitled" to when they're your age, then good luck getting them to continue to fund them. It'll reach a tipping point and people will get fed up with more and more and more public money going on older people.
 
Big Jeff said:
That does not seem fair.

If you are retired I think you have paid your way and you should be able to reap the fruits of your labours.

I don’t get how you can pay tax on money you’ve never had but I hope it’s not a lot of money you’ve never had or you could have a wopping big tax bill.
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My ex gets half of my main private pension. I have to pay the tax due on the whole amount. Great innit?
 
Sorry to keep on asking the same question but it’s still puzzling me.

I understand that, for some, the ‘discounts’ that are under discussion are those allowed or enabled by the state; bus passes, winter fuel allowance, free eye tests, prescription charges…. Oooh. Just thought of another one; free tv license for over 75s,

But I’m getting the impression that others are getting annoyed about stuff like reduced entry for the cinema, tickets for football games (I didn’t even know that was a thing), pensioner haircuts, pensioners portions for a pub meal. Stuff like that.

Whilst i appreciate and understand, regardless of whether or not I disagree, that there’s a debate to be had, if you insist, regarding whether the taxpayer should fund the former examples, I don’t understand what the argument or point is about the latter. Surely if, for example, a cinema wants to attract a certain group to attend on a Tuesday afternoon when they’re otherwise empty, or get a certain group to attend who otherwise wouldn’t, or whatever… or a pub wants to allow for a smaller portion at a reduced rate to avoid waste… or whatever their business justification is; what’s the issue and what’s it got to with anybody who’s not involved?
 
BiG said:
Sorry to keep on asking the same question but it’s still puzzling me.

I understand that, for some, the ‘discounts’ that are under discussion are those allowed or enabled by the state; bus passes, winter fuel allowance, free eye tests, prescription charges…. Oooh. Just thought of another one; free tv license for over 75s,

But I’m getting the impression that others are getting annoyed about stuff like reduced entry for the cinema, tickets for football games (I didn’t even know that was a thing), pensioner haircuts, pensioners portions for a pub meal. Stuff like that.

Whilst i appreciate and understand, regardless of whether or not I disagree, that there’s a debate to be had, if you insist, regarding whether the taxpayer should fund the former examples, I don’t understand what the argument or point is about the latter. Surely if, for example, a cinema wants to attract a certain group to attend on a Tuesday afternoon when they’re otherwise empty, or get a certain group to attend who otherwise wouldn’t, or whatever… or a pub wants to allow for a smaller portion at a reduced rate to avoid waste… or whatever their business justification is; what’s the issue and what’s it got to with anybody who’s not involved?
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Don't come on here with your reasoned contributions mate. This place is for immature goller gobs and nar nowts. Like the one you're all thinking of already.
 
BiG said:
Sorry to keep on asking the same question but it’s still puzzling me.

I understand that, for some, the ‘discounts’ that are under discussion are those allowed or enabled by the state; bus passes, winter fuel allowance, free eye tests, prescription charges…. Oooh. Just thought of another one; free tv license for over 75s,

But I’m getting the impression that others are getting annoyed about stuff like reduced entry for the cinema, tickets for football games (I didn’t even know that was a thing), pensioner haircuts, pensioners portions for a pub meal. Stuff like that.

Whilst i appreciate and understand, regardless of whether or not I disagree, that there’s a debate to be had, if you insist, regarding whether the taxpayer should fund the former examples, I don’t understand what the argument or point is about the latter. Surely if, for example, a cinema wants to attract a certain group to attend on a Tuesday afternoon when they’re otherwise empty, or get a certain group to attend who otherwise wouldn’t, or whatever… or a pub wants to allow for a smaller portion at a reduced rate to avoid waste… or whatever their business justification is; what’s the issue and what’s it got to with anybody who’s not involved?
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Pension envy.
 
BiG said:
Sorry to keep on asking the same question but it’s still puzzling me.

I understand that, for some, the ‘discounts’ that are under discussion are those allowed or enabled by the state; bus passes, winter fuel allowance, free eye tests, prescription charges…. Oooh. Just thought of another one; free tv license for over 75s,

But I’m getting the impression that others are getting annoyed about stuff like reduced entry for the cinema, tickets for football games (I didn’t even know that was a thing), pensioner haircuts, pensioners portions for a pub meal. Stuff like that.

Whilst i appreciate and understand, regardless of whether or not I disagree, that there’s a debate to be had, if you insist, regarding whether the taxpayer should fund the former examples, I don’t understand what the argument or point is about the latter. Surely if, for example, a cinema wants to attract a certain group to attend on a Tuesday afternoon when they’re otherwise empty, or get a certain group to attend who otherwise wouldn’t, or whatever… or a pub wants to allow for a smaller portion at a reduced rate to avoid waste… or whatever their business justification is; what’s the issue and what’s it got to with anybody who’s not involved?
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This is the crux of it.

And it leads to the next obvious question, what do you want done about it?

Either they want the UK government to pass laws saying who private companies can and can not give discounts to, or they are just whinging and will continue to do so until they qualify themselves.

I can’t imagine any government passing a spoilt bairn legislation. There is nothing in it for the government, only negativity from the groups they make things more expensive for. I suppose those bitter about their gran getting about on the bus for free, will feel smug that they have finally got one over on the old dear, but that is hardly a vote winner.

So all these people are going to have to sit seething in their own bitterness over having to pay 20p more for coffee. They need to decide, do they let the hate build up or let it go? It is a nothing issue, chill out.
 
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