The boom generation didn't give birth to me.
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Discounts for OAPs
- Thread starter chunkyshanhawk53
- Start date
The boom generation didn't give birth to me.
Your grandparents were likely baby boom generation then?
*****
Don't you see why your attitude towards the older generation does no favours to the younger generations of today?
It really isn't black and white. There are many pensioners today who bought/got through work/whatever - private pensions, which for some means they have a very comfortable life. Not all pensioners could afford to buy, or didnt get through work, these pensions and now only have the state pension and living on less than £12k pa likely isn't easy.
The older generation are likely parents, or grandparents, to the following on generations. They offer, in many cases, free childcare so that their children can go to work. They also pass down assets, in amounts likely unheard of when they were growing up.
Times change, for good and bad, the oldies know that the young today find housing and childcare costs far in excess of what they had to pay. But also today there is far more social support for people that need it.
The oldies see, and worry about, the changing jobs market for today's young with AI etc.
We should all worry, and care about, all the generations.
Look after the old and help the young.
---Nemo---
Striker
"Literally got everything handed on a plate and done absolutely fuck all for it unlike older generations who fought in wars and the younger generations which have been hit with financial crashes and global instability."
State of this man. ^
I guess my taxes went towards paying the pensions of the lads who fought in world wars and I don't recall ever feeling resentment in any way, shape or form. They were my people, my family. These claims are divisive garbage IMO. As history shows many of us suffered one or two financial "blips" and a touch of post war global instability along the way.
I blame wasteful shit governments for being unable or unwilling to deliver a lifestyle commensurate with the wealth of the fifth or sixth wealthiest nation on the planet but I doubt I'll be voting Reform anytime soon, sounds to me like they'd suit this Zimba lad mind.
isn't part of the issue that it's very costly to means test anything?
when i was back home in Feb a few years ago, i went round to see my stepdad. it was during the day and the house was freezing. he said he couldn't afford to have the heating on during the day, so only turned it on at night for a few hours. he worked as a sparky his whole life, often working away (longest serving electrician on the channel tunnel) and has ended up unable to heat a modest 3 bed house in winter. he doesn't have any vices either apart from smoking, doesn't bet, doesn't drink, no holidays etc...
when i was back home in Feb a few years ago, i went round to see my stepdad. it was during the day and the house was freezing. he said he couldn't afford to have the heating on during the day, so only turned it on at night for a few hours. he worked as a sparky his whole life, often working away (longest serving electrician on the channel tunnel) and has ended up unable to heat a modest 3 bed house in winter. he doesn't have any vices either apart from smoking, doesn't bet, doesn't drink, no holidays etc...
was it even considered by the governments of the day that those should be paying more taxes? perhaps it's the rise of consumerism that the younger folk of today have been gullible enough to fall for and instead of looking at themselves for their own monetary shortcomings are simply pointing their envious finger at others?
regarding working people paying more taxes, we supposedly have the brightest, most intelligent people running the country. did they not think for one minute that people are living longer and somewhere down the line they would need more money from somewhere in order to pay for their longevity. i find it astonishing that none of them appear to have even thought this might be the case but then again with the auto enrolment into workplace pensions in recent years i suppose they have.
42
Striker
Im sure they were well aware. The problem is more politically in how you deal with it because youll get voted out. The pension problem, the can is consistently kicked down the road resulting in younger generations picking up the tab.
WFA as an example - Jeremy Hunt revealed that the treasurery (civil service) has been trying to get rid of it for ages but no government will. This is why its not been increased in 25 years or whatever, letting inflation eat away. Reeves tries to play billy big bollox with it & bites her on the arse.
DaveH
Striker
Looking at your original post, OAPs get discounts for the match, cinema etc as a marketing thing. It is something private businesses do to sell their products. I still do not get what the issue is.
Imagine a discount given to only Christians or only Muslims. Would you consider that problematic? If so why not a discount based on age?
If your answer is “well because the law says it’s okay” then please throw your phone into the sea.
Makem57
Central Defender
You need to look at the tax rates from the past , it was a Higher than now so we were paying more from our wages already.
DaveH
Striker
What they did have was massive interest rates (15%?) and a big push for endowment mortgages, which failed to pay off the balance as promised. Many reached the end of their term still owing the same amount of money or more.
Every generation had its hardships. Why would we restrict cinemas giving OAPs cheaper entry when it is quiet, only to give that discount back when a more deserving generation reaches OAP age?
I am assuming that those suffering the difficult life today feel they deserve that little reward when they are older?
Angry this morning?
Yes age based concessions are deliberately excluded from the equality act because they do give everyone a fair chance of receiving them. Obviously that excludes people who die early but really there is no way to anticipate and counter that.
Everyone has a spell of being under 18. Everyone (or the vast majority) should reach 67. Discrimination based on gender, religion, sexuality is usually permanent and will exclude people for life.
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Wilfy
Striker
Young people get discounts as well. Railcards, student loan interest (probably for another thread that one), coach travel, theatre. Bet you took advantage of some of them.
Qwerty
Striker
The people vote in governments. Not one party has ever said our policy will be to make pensioners tax exempt but raise other taxes to make up the shortfall.
You were in favour of the state pension a few posts back.
But they had free dentistry, free university. Swings and roundabouts.
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Aye but the housing was only like 2.5x someone's annual salary compared to today when it's like 22x or something crazy so people just can't afford the mortgage full stop.
It'll be interesting, as right now things are looking a bit bleak in a way. High pension pot, loss of jobs to AI, housing prices that no-one can afford, no-one having babies as they can't afford them so no future tax revenue. Seems a complete recipe for disaster long term.
Makem57
Central Defender
If it was free, you didn't have to be rich, but only about the top 5% academically attended.Free universityhad to start working at 16 ,University was mainly for the rich
Makem57
Central Defender
How about living costs , I was told by my dad when I left school, me and your mam have kept you for 16 years so get out and get a job , best advice he gave me , never out of work until I retired.
Religion isn’t permanent. I could convert to any religion I like, today if I so choose.
It’s funny you talk about a fair chance of getting them, when the free prescriptions and bus pass (that I currently pay for) will have long, long gone by the time I’m 67. The state pension might have gone the journey too.
Big Jeff
Striker
Yes, the eternal dichotomy.
