The Lucky British Pensioner

[roninnes]

Indeed a very sad state of affairs. Due to redundancy and my maturity I was advised to claim Pension credit rather than Jobseekers allowance. I went through so many hoops I was dizzy, and yes I get the princely sum of £190.00 per calendar month. I read of the poor public sector workers who are going to suffer, yeh right, they are getting a guaranteed pension. So why should we feel sorry for them if they, like everybody else, have to work a little longer and contribute a bit more. My pension plan was trashed thanks to Gordon Brown when he raided all the private pension plans in 1997/98 and now I get a fraction of what I had expected based on contributions.
GIVE ME A BREAK.
Ron

[roger bayliss]

I agree with everyone about this in equality it is so wrong , but blame our polititians for allowing it and doin sod all about it.

Most people who were not in company pension schemes etc should also get a State Second pension scheme on top of the ordinary pension (unless you opted out) and this used to be called SERPS but they renamed it a few years back... Make sure you are getting what you are entitled too folks.

You can check your pension rights on the Gobernment site but need to register for a password. This will check your national insurance contributions and confirm pension entitlements.

HTH

http://www.gateway.gov.uk/

[neil2726]

One wonders if our MPs pensions are to be hit in the same way? Will they have a pay freeze or be limited to a 1% increase in pay over the next two years? Why keep the older generation working longer when the younger generation cant get jobs?

[JimN]

Didier is quite right. The message is a politicised hoax and appears to be a UK-specific reworking of one which has circulated in other countries. I say "UK-specific", but the figures are totally fabricated.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/prod_consum_dg/groups/dg_digitalassets/@dg/@en/documents/digitalasset/dg_193028.pdf

The figures for Pension Credit* and Income Support are given on that page. There are two columns on that page. The figures to the right are the 2011-12 rates in pounds sterling.

PENSION CREDIT Standard minimum guarantee:
- couple £202.40 (2010-11) £209.70 (2011-12)

[* Pension Credit is the means-tested guarantee for pensions. If a pensioner's income, including their Retirement Pension, is less than the above figures, it will be topped up to the relevant amount, supplemented by (where necessary and appropriate) council tax benefit and housing benefit.]

Asylum seekers may be entitled to Asylum Support.

http://govanintegration.wordpress.com/2011/04/06/support-levels-for-asylum-seekers-on-s95-for-2011-12/

The relevant Asylum Support rates are given on that page. An asylum-seeking couple (both over 25) with two children, entitled to Asylum Support, would get £72.52 (couple rate) + £52.96 (child 1) + £52.96 (child 2). That's £178.44, which is £31.26 less than a non-disabled pensioner couple would be guaranteed as a minimum. And that includes the rates for two children and needs to support four people.

For a single asylum seeker, the rate is £36.62 a week, as compared with a Pension Credit (guarantee) rate of £137.35 a week for a single pensionr.

Them's the (correct) facts, folks.

Trust me...

JN

[Didier]

Didier is quite right. The message is a politicised hoax and appears to be a UK-specific reworking of one which has circulated in other countries. I say "UK-specific", but the figures are totally fabricated.

There are so many hoaxes circulating on the net, that when I have a doubt, I use to have a look at hoax debunking sites, and this is just what I did.

Didier