What is that "mate" of mine Sadiq Khan trying to achieve ?

 

You lost you demented little cretin, get over it and concentrate on your job you terrorist sympathiser.

4 minutes ago, Spider said:

There are now more people taking out than paying in.

Paying for 14 years of incompetence will take time. And money.

Inflation hit 10% under the Tories, just as a reminder. And I recall their support base saying that was all perfectly acceptable under the prevailing circumstances.

we are definitely hurtling headlong to the buffers

the pensions crisis is the thing that should be front and centre, yet somehow theres an obsession with fucking boats

13 minutes ago, Casino said:

we are definitely hurtling headlong to the buffers

the pensions crisis is the thing that should be front and centre, yet somehow theres an obsession with fucking boats

Farage and his cronies make money off the back of the pension crisis and its a very nuanced and complicated issue to explain and solutions may be unpalatable to Reform voters. on the other hand foreigners in boats is an easy thing to point at and get enraged about 

32 minutes ago, Casino said:

we are definitely hurtling headlong to the buffers

the pensions crisis is the thing that should be front and centre, yet somehow theres an obsession with fucking boats

The pensioners are protected arent they?

 

Its made out theyre the victims in all this

In reality, its everybody else

Except the mega rich, of course

We cant ask them to put a bit more in despite so many of em doing well through COVID

 

3 hours ago, Casino said:

we are definitely hurtling headlong to the buffers

the pensions crisis is the thing that should be front and centre, yet somehow theres an obsession with fucking boats

100%. Pensions is a big, fuck off problem that isn’t as far away as people think. It won’t be fixed over the course of 5 or 10 years of policy changes. Plus, nobody wants to be the government that ditches the triple lock and fucks themselves over politically for a couple of decades.

4 hours ago, Jol_BWFC said:

100%. Pensions is a big, fuck off problem that isn’t as far away as people think. It won’t be fixed over the course of 5 or 10 years of policy changes. Plus, nobody wants to be the government that ditches the triple lock and fucks themselves over politically for a couple of decades.

Triple lock needs to go.

Simple as that.

Tough decisions require tough leaders.

I see Starmer and Reeves are frivolously saving 1,500 jobs in the steel industry whilst the country burns and people are eating their own pets to survive

4 hours ago, Jol_BWFC said:

100%. Pensions is a big, fuck off problem that isn’t as far away as people think. It won’t be fixed over the course of 5 or 10 years of policy changes. Plus, nobody wants to be the government that ditches the triple lock and fucks themselves over politically for a couple of decades.

I see some chat about pension age going to 70

I think its a bit broad brush that

Every chance a desk jockey lives long enough to have a few years beyond 70 but good luck getting to 70 in some back breaking manual job

12 hours ago, Casino said:

we are definitely hurtling headlong to the buffers

the pensions crisis is the thing that should be front and centre, yet somehow theres an obsession with fucking boats

Pensioners have paid in and deserve all they get. Illegal immigrants have contributed fuck all and that is all they deserve in return.

Too complex an equation for some it seems.

4 hours ago, bolty58 said:

Pensioners have paid in and deserve all they get. Illegal immigrants have contributed fuck all and that is all they deserve in return.

Too complex an equation for some it seems.

The problem we have is each generation funds the last so as we hit Pension age it is money being paid in now that funds that. 

The link below shows the problem, number of people over 65 has doubled in last 40 years and is predicted to grow more. The number of younger people is predicted to drop. 
 

We simply have more older people and fewer younger ones who feel the burden of the increased cost of Pensions. The triple lock needs to go but it won’t as the % of older people grows it would be political suicide. 
 

Retirement age is 67 but at 60 prescriptions are free and in some areas of the uk you get free or cheap public transport . God knows what these cost, but why should a working bloke in his 60s who might have a decent income get free prescriptions ? 
 

Something needs to give. Speaking as someone who recently had their 60th bday ! 
 

https://ageing-better.org.uk/our-ageing-population-state-ageing-2023-4

Edited August 21, 2025Aug 21 by Ani

4 hours ago, bolty58 said:

Pensioners have paid in and deserve all they get. Illegal immigrants have contributed fuck all and that is all they deserve in return.

Too complex an equation for some it seems.

We’re talking about pensions and all you want to take about is immigration. One track mind. Maybe it’s because you’re an immigrant.

I assume you won’t be taking any Australian pension?

4 hours ago, bolty58 said:

Pensioners have paid in and deserve all they get. Illegal immigrants have contributed fuck all and that is all they deserve in return.

Too complex an equation for some it seems.

They haven't paid in enough, that's the problem. We are all living a lot longer with illnesses that drain the NHS but are now survivable.

We could remove all Illegal immigrants overnight but the issue would remain. Too complex for some for sure.

9 hours ago, Spider said:

Triple lock needs to go.

Simple as that.

Tough decisions require tough leaders.

Yes, needs to go ASAP. Hopefully I’ll be retiring in 20-25 years and the state pension needs to be massively reduced by then.

We’ve had “compulsory” workplace pensions for 20 years or so now. It should be there to reduce reliance on the state pension. How that works for self-employed, mind…

Edited August 21, 2025Aug 21 by Jol_BWFC

8 hours ago, Casino said:

I see some chat about pension age going to 70

I think its a bit broad brush that

Every chance a desk jockey lives long enough to have a few years beyond 70 but good luck getting to 70 in some back breaking manual job

Unfortunately, it’s got to be the direction of travel. People are living longer, so they need to contribute more either by paying more tax, or working longer (or maybe both). That, or you massively reduce state pensions (see my post above - that would be the preference, following auto-enrolment pensions).

I’m a desk jockey and I get your point, although the number of office workers who I’ve seen retiring and dying in their 60s (my father included) is very sad.

I’m saving as much as I can into my pension (whilst also having a mortgage to pay and 2 young kids to raise) to give myself a chance of early retirement. I’ll probably be wiped out in a nuclear holocaust at 62, with no chance to spend it.

16 minutes ago, Jol_BWFC said:

Unfortunately, it’s got to be the direction of travel. People are living longer, so they need to contribute more either by paying more tax, or working longer (or maybe both). That, or you massively reduce state pensions (see my post above - that would be the preference, following auto-enrolment pensions).

I’m a desk jockey and I get your point, although the number of office workers who I’ve seen retiring and dying in their 60s (my father included) is very sad.

I’m saving as much as I can into my pension (whilst also having a mortgage to pay and 2 young kids to raise) to give myself a chance of early retirement. I’ll probably be wiped out in a nuclear holocaust at 62, with no chance to spend it.

Sorry to hear about your father J. I think I met him briefly at Wembley.

We’ve talked about the pension problem many times. Especially reform with a small r. If the wage increase element of the triple lock was taken out, the government would have saved millions this year as it was based on wage growth in September last year. It’s understandable to keep pace with inflation not wage growth. Just like the WFP, an element of means testing should be brought in especially with annual increases. 
As I’ve said many times, other countries have better pensions than us with the same increase in life expectancy. We aren’t a third world country. 

1 hour ago, Ani said:

The link below shows the problem, number of people over 65 has doubled in last 40 years and is predicted to grow more. The number of younger people is predicted to drop. 

So we have a burgeoning global population and more and more cures for what used to be fatal illnesses meaning folk live longer.

An interesting conundrum.

According to the government website, pension funds have significantly decreased their investments in UK listed equities, with allocations falling from over 50% in 2012 to just over 20% in 2023.

An alarming lack of trust in British investments during that time?

9 minutes ago, Spider said:

According to the government website, pension funds have significantly decreased their investments in UK listed equities, with allocations falling from over 50% in 2012 to just over 20% in 2023.

An alarming lack of trust in British investments during that time?

Ask Gordon Brown.

6 minutes ago, BobyBrno said:

Ask Gordon Brown.

I'm seeing a 13 year long window of opportunity there.

Unless you're saying previous government decisions can linger for many years, even through a subsequent government?

In which case, Brown is to blame, and we reset our expectations for this government, who seemingly had 1 year to reach utopia.

45 minutes ago, BobyBrno said:

Sorry to hear about your father J. I think I met him briefly at Wembley.

We’ve talked about the pension problem many times. Especially reform with a small r. If the wage increase element of the triple lock was taken out, the government would have saved millions this year as it was based on wage growth in September last year. It’s understandable to keep pace with inflation not wage growth. Just like the WFP, an element of means testing should be brought in especially with annual increases. 
As I’ve said many times, other countries have better pensions than us with the same increase in life expectancy. We aren’t a third world country. 

Thanks T. I’m happy to report that you met my step father, who is still going strong at 83. Hopefully we’ll all catch up again this season.

Indeed, there must be a better way of managing things to mitigate the issue. Reform (small r) is needed.

I think means testing would need to be considered carefully - to avoid manipulation of the system by people who try to maximise state pension. There is already an imbalance in that the Wways £150k club will pay tens of thousands of pounds a year in taxes and NI, but get the same state pension as those who pay very little tax - so proportionately less than they pay in. If you told the £150k club they wouldn’t get even less than those who have paid comparatively little, it would create a stir.

 

1 hour ago, Jol_BWFC said:

Yes, needs to go ASAP. Hopefully I’ll be retiring in 20-25 years and the state pension needs to be massively reduced by then.

We’ve had “compulsory” workplace pensions for 20 years or so now. It should be there to reduce reliance on the state pension. How that works for self-employed, mind…

Just keep working til I croak is my current trajectory.

1 hour ago, frank_spencer said:

Just keep working til I croak is my current trajectory.

That’s grim. 

29 minutes ago, tomski said:

That’s grim. 

Yeah not ideal, hopefully over the next few years business continues as it has and we can put some proper money away. Past 12 months have been our best but still not enough to put any aside.

13 minutes ago, frank_spencer said:

Yeah not ideal, hopefully over the next few years business continues as it has and we can put some proper money away. Past 12 months have been our best but still not enough to put any aside.

🤞

1 hour ago, frank_spencer said:

Yeah not ideal, hopefully over the next few years business continues as it has and we can put some proper money away. Past 12 months have been our best but still not enough to put any aside.

Aye fingers crossed Frank