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Disgraceful pension is less than lowest wage



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Towngate House,
Elland
I SEE that one of our local MPs is calling for an increase in the minimum wage, which in its self is no bad thing.

However, I wonder why none of our MPs ever calls for an increase in Britain's old-age pension, which leaves any pensioner who served his or her country in World Ward Two living on the basic rate, plus full rent and council tax relief, with less money in his or her pocket than a worker on the minimum wage. This I consider to be disgraceful.

Charles Darrow, the American Civil rights lawyer, once said: "Any government which is not strong enought to protect all its citizens ought not to be on the face of the earth."

The trouble is, on what planet could the money-grabbing MPs, from all parties, find such a generous allowance and expense regime as they do in this country?

Gordon Penney



The full article contains 161 words and appears in n/a newspaper.
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  • Last Updated: 26 March 2008 11:24 AM
  • Source: n/a
  • Location: Halifax
 
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Calculator,

Halifax 26/03/2008 13:06:05

Agree with you Gordon - but as long as there's means tested pension credits and an army of bureaucrats employed to ask you searching and nosy questions about your private life why would this Govt want to raise Pensions?

Their thinking is it's much better you're dependent on hand-outs, than be self-sufficient, because you're more likely to vote for the hand that feeds you.
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gaildear13,

26/03/2008 13:36:28
You should have spent your life on the dole, you'd be better off now.
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Peter Avinou,

Elland 26/03/2008 14:05:09
gaildear1,
Very true.
The thing I most dislike is the way my Wife, a Teacher, stopped work to become a Mother. When our daughters were old enough, she returned to teaching.
Our generous state now pays her a much reduced pension, a little over a third less.
Our daughters both work and pay taxes now, thus we have contributed greatly to our country.
Why the b****y miserly treatment on her pension.
The state pension is alre3ady an insult when viewed in comparison with Councillors and MPs earnings, yet they have the sheer gall to do this to our women as well!
Great Britain my foot!

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Peter Avinou,

Elland 26/03/2008 14:29:04
The latest report declares that the average hourly pay for English workers equals £12.07p per hour. So, in less than a day, the average worker earns 30% more than my wifes weekly pension, and over 50% of my pension for a week.
Give us our index linked pensions back you cheats!
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Rob Reynolds,

26/03/2008 15:04:57
It has been such "joy" for myself to see the reaction of MPs at the disclosure of their perks, sorry, allowances. £750 for a new tv, I could get for £50 in a supermarket etc. BUT, nobody has yet got round to the luxurious pension entitlements the MPs have awarded themselves. A few years ago, they realised there was a shortfall. They voted for it to be improved. Where did the money come from? Increased contributions from MPs? Nope. A direct contribution from the good British taxpayer! You and me!
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Peter Avinou,

Elland 26/03/2008 15:38:49
Rob,
The best is yet to come?
How much is their defence against this disclosure going to cost us, and wasn't it illuminating to see the change of direction when they realised just what might be disclosed?
Security risk my foot, they are running scared of what we are about to discover!
I think if we totalled all these perks we would be talking astronomical figure for running this pleasure palace called Westminster.
Perhaps these greedy people have forgotten that revolutions have been caused by less?
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Barry,

26/03/2008 15:45:14
The thing is, on pension, you don't need as much money as the rest of the population, you can't have loans that need to be repaid or a mortgage. If you pay rent, you get means-tested rent allowance. Therefore, you don't need the same level of money as you did before. Of course, those who WORK all their lives and manage their money well will be better off than the dole dossers
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Calculator,

Halifax 26/03/2008 18:03:27

Let's also not forget - for all their winging about how poorly paid and stressed they are, local Govt employees pick up a very generous final salary scheme that's copper-bottom gaurenteed by the ratepayer!

No need for them to worry about falling stock markets!

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bm4260,

Elland 26/03/2008 18:06:30
The problem here is the policy of low basic pension that is topped up with means tested benefits. We should be paying those on a pension an amount that takes them out of means testing. The fact the government shamelessly talks about the poorest pensioners being able to claim means tested benefits shows there disconnection from the lives of ordinary people. It is no good to say they should have made private prevision as the point is this group of people where given the impression by politicians after the war that they and there children would be brought up in a welfare state and private prevision was not necessary. The fact is this promise has been broken!!
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Rob Reynolds,

26/03/2008 19:07:08
The comments so far, highlight the stupidity of our politicians. Yes, we WERE told the welfare state would look after us, then we were told, look after yourself because the state cant afford it. The current pensioners had to fight a war and so couldn't save, but I can. THEN a LABOUR govt. came in, smash and grabbed our pensions then fiddled whilst Rome burned as house prices soared. Most people can't afford a home and a pension. Now, many can't afford either!!!
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