Re: Britain could leave the Bloc and do things better!

Why should I be fighting for others? I'm no millionaire philanthropist. I've had to fight tooth and nail in the first part of my life to get out of low living standards myself and I'm not rolling in cash now by any means. I'm going to have to work a lot longer than most of the boomers on here.

With Brexit the poorest in society will just end up worse off the way things are going. Nobody disputes that. Nobody who voted Brexit seems to think that's a bad thing. Why is this acceptable? Some here are wondering how they will make their pension stretch to pay extra council tax. Well that's the future unless the govt get their finger out and sort the economic future post-brexit.

Brexit is a poorly thought through vanity project which is just wasting money we should be spending on social care and other areas of need. Our politicians should have been making their mark in the EU instead of making excuses here. Now we have a right mess because the political ineptitude is coming home to roost. How are the same attitudes going to help us succeed in the wider global world?

It's a load of rubbish to mix this up with loyalty or disloyalty to the UK. If you say that then the Scots are 60% disloyal to Scotland!

Re: Britain could leave the Bloc and do things better!

Hi

The fact remains we are still living beyond our means.

Brexit or no Brexit we need to up Tax.

The system is wrong.

People like Julie should be able to aggregate their hours, full time jobs are difficult to come by.

A penny on Income Tax would not be missed.

I can see no logical reason why people on Higher Rate Tax should not pay full NI, neither do I see why they get 40% Tax Relief on Pension Payments whilst the majority only get 20%.

I also fail to see why those who are retired no longer pay NI.

They are the biggest users of the NHS.

Re: Britain could leave the Bloc and do things better!

Most ordinary pensioners can barely afford to make ends meet, they do not need extra NI charges when they have worked all their lives and contributed the amount that is agreed by the government. It's big companies and rich oligarchs that don't pay enough tax. Introducing nasty regressive tax regimes is not the answer when people are struggling.

Re: Britain could leave the Bloc and do things better!

Hi

If you read my post you will have seen that I am not talking about ordinary Pensioners.

Re: Britain could leave the Bloc and do things better!

You said that you fail to see why those who are retired do not continue to pay NI, so that indicated you were including all pensioners. If not then fair enough. But I don't think that if you are retired and have private pension having made contributions to the state system that you should have that taken away from you and be asked to pay more contributions.

The main problem is not financial but the social breakdown of society, where family and friends are too wrapped up in their own lives to be able to help others. Our lifestyle is complex and selfish. Mental illness is becoming the norm because we are not made to live like this. House prices are so high because so many people live on their own and properties are more scarce. It's all upside down these days and I can't see that changing now we are entering the world where "The Machine" is worshipped and physical human contact is becoming rare.

Re: Britain could leave the Bloc and do things better!

Hi

I have paid a fortune into Pension Schemes, only to see them raided.

In my case by HMG.

Some examples of what I mean.

Ordinary workers get 20% Tax Relief on Pension Payments, higher Rate Taxpayers get 40%.

How is that fair?

One of my neighbours,a couple,both have Pensions of over £70k a year,as they constantly tell us.

Why shouldn't they pay for NHS Treatment?

Re: Britain could leave the Bloc and do things better!

So why fleece pensioners for cash that will only be raided for something like poorly thought out brexit strategies? Just because you were stung doesn't mean others should suffer.

Re: Britain could leave the Bloc and do things better!

Hi

I rather think you are missing my point Annie.

Many look with envy on the Pensions in other Countries and their Medical Systems, no postcode lottery, no long waiting lists.

They have that because they pay for them.

There is no such thing as a free lunch.

Re: Britain could leave the Bloc and do things better!

I think it's ridiculous that pensioners with pensions over the national average wage get a handout in the form of the state pension.

Not only should they pay National Insurance, there should also be an income/asset threshold for state pension, heating allowance, free prescriptions etc.

Why should wealthy pensioners have these things paid for them by working people whose income is lower than their own?

Re: Britain could leave the Bloc and do things better!

Yes, let's sting all high earners for everything we can get out of them.

Then we can encourage them to emigrate to another country and take all their assets and businesses with them.

You just want to hasten the day when Britain becomes a third world country, don't you?