Is It Fair To Tax Your Pension??

[anywebsite]

You'd have to live in the UK to take advantage of some of the freebies, but they're all standard age-related freebies, pick up your free prescriptions when you visit, remember to use your bus pass when you're here, etc. You pay less tax than a worker in the UK, you have higher allowances & no national insurance, you've deferred the tax you would've paid when you were working, but you still complain & want more free stuff.

 

I'm not sure if they'll insulate your properties abroad, but anybody over 70 can get free insulation, the Queen probably qualifies for it. For winter fuel, you'd need to be in some kind of household in the UK, but it should be automatic, "If you are aged 60-79, your household normally receives £200. If you are aged 80 or over, your household normally receives £300. Most people receive it automatically - but if you're a man aged 60 to 64, you will need to make a claim because you are not yet of pension age. "

 

Over 75 for your free tv licence, 78.5 for your free passport.

[Ms Macbeth]

Guaranteed income of at least £119/week even if you've never worked..

 

I spent some of my life looking after my children and some more in low paid part time employment so my state pension is limited to reflect that. Unwisely perhaps I paid into an occupational pension, which means I don't get anything like £119 from the government.

[anywebsite]

I spent some of my life looking after my children and some more in low paid part time employment so my state pension is limited to reflect that. Unwisely perhaps I paid into an occupational pension, which means I don't get anything like £119 from the government.

 

If you don't get £119.05 a week or more in total from all sources of income, then you can claim tax credits to make it up to that amount, that's what I meant by "guaranteed income". That's for a single person & the figures are old, from 2008, so it's probably more now.

[Rupert_Baehr]

You'd have to live in the UK to take advantage of some of the freebies, but they're all standard age-related freebies, pick up your free prescriptions when you visit, remember to use your bus pass when you're here, etc. You pay less tax than a worker in the UK, you have higher allowances & no national insurance, you've deferred the tax you would've paid when you were working, but you still complain & want more free stuff.

 

I'm not sure if they'll insulate your properties abroad, but anybody over 70 can get free insulation, the Queen probably qualifies for it. For winter fuel, you'd need to be in some kind of household in the UK, but it should be automatic, "If you are aged 60-79, your household normally receives £200. If you are aged 80 or over, your household normally receives £300. Most people receive it automatically - but if you're a man aged 60 to 64, you will need to make a claim because you are not yet of pension age. "

 

Over 75 for your free tv licence, 78.5 for your free passport.

 

Thanks for the info, Anywebsite.

 

When I'm in the UK, if I need medical treatment I can get it from the NHS. Everybody gets that. - That shouldn't be a problem (apart from 'health tourists' who come to the country solely to get health freebies.)

 

I understand that I can probably claim winter fuel allowance. - I will be living in the UK next month, so I'm entitled to claim.

 

That should not be possible! - I might need 'winter cooling allowance' (it does get a bit warm during winter sometimes) but I can probably keep warm enough by going out for a run.

 

A Bus Pass would be a nice gesture (after all, I'm hardly going to bankrupt the council if I'm not in the UK to use it.)

 

House Insulation? - Why? (House Insulation in the UK is crappy. Put your own houses in order first! )

 

A lot of people will say "We've paid into the system." That's quite true. When I was working in the UK, I paid a hefty amount of taxes. That's the way it goes. As a taxpayer, I was expected to make what was assessed as 'a fair contribution'.

 

Why should that change in old age? If a retired person is as wealthy as Croesus, why should that person no longer be required to make 'a fair contribution'?

 

I've paid into the system for 40 + years, but so did everybody else. Perhaps it's time (and I know this will bring howls of anguish from many people) that ALL benefits [including benefits for elderly people] were means-tested?

[anywebsite]

Thanks for the info, Anywebsite.

 

When I'm in the UK, if I need medical treatment I can get it from the NHS. Everybody gets that. - That shouldn't be a problem (apart from 'health tourists' who come to the country solely to get health freebies.)

 

Working people have to pay for their prescriptions & eye tests, unless you're over 60 (there are a few other exemptions too, for chronic illness, children & unemployed). The stuff I listed was all age related.

 

I think they have to pay £5 for their bus pass, but it means free transport within their local area & any neighbouring local areas, including trains & trams. They could go cross country by bus for free as long as they keep changing busses. A 1 day pass with more restrictions on it is £7.55 for under 60s. Some of them ride on the tram all day. People coming home after a day's work need to pay an extortionate amount to stand, so the pensioners can ride around all day for free.

[Tradescanthia]

Deleted by myself

[Tradescanthia]

Deleted by myself

[Rupert_Baehr]

'Frailty in old age' is something you have to put up with (or shout about) Nimrod.

 

I'm not very good at accepting that. (When things break, I bitch and I want them fixed.)

 

Before I came here this summer I told my cardio what I intended to do and he smiled. "Let me know how you got on when you get back" said he. - Don't worry, I will! - I want a re-build. This summer has been problematic.

 

I hope that there is enough money in the pot (the pot I pay into) to re-build me as and when required [as in: 'before Christmas;)'] - if there isn't, I've got a problem.

 

I didn't read anything in Website's posts as suggesting that the elderly should be dumped. You appear to have done so. What did I miss?

[Rupert_Baehr]

WOW !!! Get back to the UK ASAP !!! David Cameron needs you ! When Vince Cable and Co run out of loony ideas they could recruit your services. The Torys must be running out of idiots by now, even Cleggy has ''seen the light''.

Meanstest by all means, BUT START AT A FAIR THRESHOLD, round about 75% of average earnings would be fair.

Best thing you could do is stay where you are. Why not apply for nationality and give up your British Passport ????? If you are in Germany you would be OK, I've lived there [and got family there in Cologne]

I love the bit about going for a run when you are cold !!! Sheffield Parkway should be full of pensioners going jogging on a cold morning, they could close a lane for them..............................

 

Really? Why shouldn't the wealthy (those who can afford to look after themselves) pay for themselves?

 

Did you actually read what I wrote, or did you just hop up in the air?

 

I know a number of 'pensioners' (people aged above 65 years) who have incomes in excess of £50k after tax.

 

Do those people actually need a State Pension?

 

I don't 'go for a run' very often - I don't like running - but I do climb the odd mountain - and the even ones too - most days. Sometimes (recently) I get into difficulties. - One of the problems of life.

 

Many of my neighbours are very old (and I'm a few years older than you.) Some of them (Octogenarians and Nonogenarians) play golf. (daft buggers!)

 

I gather from your post that you have some ongoing needs and you need extra help. Why shouldn't you get it? - As far as I'm concerned, you can have my old farts heating allowance (which I could legally claim.) I'd like to see the law changed to stop people like me form claiming the winter fuel allowance.

 

Yet you have a problem with that?

 

In 2011, Pensioners in warm places including Spain, Cyprus, Portugal, Greece and Gibraltar claimed (and were given) £13.4million in 'winter fuel allowances.'

 

Why did they get the money?

 

I think that's wrong - but you are attacking me for saying so?

 

Do you really think that people living in climates averaging 17'C in winter time should be given a heating allowance?

 

I don't. In fact, I think it's outrageous.

 

But hey, you're a younger old fart, and we should stick together. Let's rip our kids off for as much as we can get! Not.

 

You suggested that perhaps the rate for assessing entitlement to old age pension should be 75% of the average income. I don't have a problem with that. - In fact, it seems like a reasonable figure.

 

I have a number of friends who have annual pension and other earnings in excess of £50,000 a year. I don't think they should receive a UK Old Age Pension (they hardly need it.) Most of them would agree that they could get by without it.

 

But you think my suggestion is unreasonable? - Why?

 

I'm not talking about hitting the little guy - indeed, I'm not talking about hitting the big guy, either, but I do think it's time that the UK reviewed state pensions and took away (or reduced) the old-age pensions given to people who don't need them.

 

You appear to have a problem with that.

 

Would you care to explain why you disagree?

[Ms Macbeth]

I'm not talking about hitting the little guy - indeed, I'm not talking about hitting the big guy, either, but I do think it's time that the UK reviewed state pensions and took away (or reduced) the old-age pensions given to people who don't need them.

 

The introduction of Pension Credit over the last few years has hit the little guy. There are lots of little guys (and gals) who haven't been big earners but have made (small) provision for retirement, ie what they could afford when they were working. They now get less from the state than if they hadn't bothered to save a penny. Pension credit was one of the most unfair inventions, as it discriminates against those who are only marginally better off than the littlest guy. It doesn't look at what people earned, it just looks at what they have in retirement. People who made good money when they were working but who spent the lot are costing the government more in retirement than the thrifty, who may well have earned less.

 

If state pensions had increased across the board, then there might have been a little bit of a reward for those who tried to take personal responsibility for their retirement. People who don't claim because they don't understand the benefits system, or they see it as charity would have a better income. Those who were unable to contribute through illness or disability wouldn't be any worse off, and the very well off (like some of your friends and a couple of members of my family) would simply pay more income tax.