PENSIONERS

[Red Lead Ted]

Of course they will shoot it up there nose dont think this government havn,t thought about that. The more on the street the less the benefit bill will be. I am watching the 10pm news and night after night it is the same thing over and over no Growth, Borrowing higher, Inflation rising whie wages are static, There polocies from day one have failed to meet any of there forecast,s We have a budget in a few weeks if they dont bring in plan B Whatever the hell that is it will just be more of the same Austerity and more misery for all working or not. B may stand for Blast the roof of the country with people rioting in the streets. The bedroom tax is Cameron,s poll tax and remember what that produced for the iron lady. Regards John Terry.

[John Pruden]

my daughter Helen top nurse pay has been frozen for the past three years cops the same cost of living goes up wages stay the same as three years ago something has got to give this is when we need unions like them or not and we can't put the blame on the last government the price of electric and gas has gone mad in those years alone never mind rates tax on goods fuel for cars soon people will give up their jobs not because they want to because they have to they are being ground down and it has to stop somewhere so more will turn to unions for help they will have to how many houses will be snatched back by the banks this year they don't give a shite as long as the share holders are happy and the likes of our leaders are shareholders in gas electric and banking we are the same as the old surfs in the 21st century.jp

[happy daze john in oz]

I know most of you are unhappy withthe current situation in UK, and rightly so. The question is though, why is the gov of the day having to resort to such measures? From my understanding of the current financial situation in UK the current gov is not to blame. They are attempting to get the books straight after the last lot left the country close to bankruptcy. My sister and her husband were living in Spain but got out because the gov there is attempting to take control of housing owned by foreingers.

But you ae not alone in this, here in Oz means testing for pension qualifacations has been around for a long time. As we recieve a part UK pension, have some super paying a pension we only get a part state pension. The current feral gov, Labor you know the one who looks after the workers LOL, has just changed all the rules regarding payment of unemployment monies etc. All now are on what is known as the 'new start' allowance lower than som eof the previous allowances. All females with children over the gae of 8 are now required to seek employment and their allowances have been cut as they are now on new start.

Agreed there are some who would be quite happy to live on the dole forever, but thta does not help the genuine ones. So you see UK is not the only ones getting new laws about this, it is happeneing everywhere. The problem is that we have an aging population that is costing, a lower work force as a percentage to generate taxes to support the elderly, and the demand from the public for more services. If we are to get these services then we must in some way pay for them. But at times I wonder if we would be better off in a one party state were all monies are put to work for the benifit of the people, not a food for the politicians trough.

[Tony Wilding]

i think it was in the 1600s in the UK a Window Tax was introduced, so windows were bricked up, Thatcher started the Poll Tax, now a Bedroom Tax, what will be next, ? is there no end to there madness of new tax rip offs, slow but sure big brother is taking over our lives, we are supposed to be living in a democratic country, now if you have a spare room for your children to stay in when they visit, you will pay for the privilege, your home has become just another means of squeezing more tax from you, nothing is sacred anymore, they seem bent on causing hardship to the lowest paid,

[John Cassels]

In the Netherlands 74% of a fuel bill ( elect , gas and water ) is energy tax and v.a.t.
Can you beat that in the UK ?.

[j.sabourn]

Red Lead Ted in his post makes it sound like a police state, or even going back to Nazi Germany. The only people who could search at one time without a police search warrant were H.M. Customs have these laws been changed also. My wife and self were coming back to UK for a visit this summer and I usually claim the full amount of what I would be getting on the old age pension when over as if I had still been living there. This when over last year was about 12 pounds a week. If this is going to require the 3rd Degree to get, its not worth the bother. I read some of these posts re window and bedroom tax with a certain degree of horror, wouldnt it be easier to just lower the tax free amount able to earn, or does that mean that people on higher salarys would have to pay more. The paperwork and obviously lost revenue through various loopholes which are going to be there must be an accountants nightmare. Cheers John Sabourn.

[Jim Brady]

John S, you can't lower the tax because the people that this affects don't pay tax because they are on benefits.This is not about making people downsize it's a matter of taking money off peoples benefits,and in any case if all concerned did wish to downsize there is'nt the accommodation there to do so.When you look into this whoever came up with the idea must have no compassion or feelings whatsover or is just plain stupid.Take a case where a lad is in the army,he lives with his mum in a two bedroom house.He is away serving his country in Afghanistan,his mother is classed as over occupied and will lose £14 per week from her benefit.The same scenario but the lad is a student the mother will not lose her benefit.Peole say they wont pay it,they will go to gaol first,I'm afraid that they will not have that option as the deduction will be made straight from their benefit.There are meetings taking place in pubs and other establishments against this stupid and unfair benifit cuts and I can only see mass rallies which may even turn into riots once this law kicks in in April.
Regards.
Jim.B.

[John Pruden]

john cassels. just a question is the Netherlands smokeless as regarding heating as we have no option but to use gas or electric some use oil i would love to get a coal or wood fire but its against the law here?jp

[j.sabourn]

I see maybe reading the story wrong. I have a brother lives in UK, used to live with my mother before she died. He remains in the 3 bedroom council house which he now pays full rent on somewhere about 90 pounds a week I think. His wages is about 3 pence above the mininum wage level. He is too proud to approach the council for a rent reduction or whatever other benefits there are. As he will never discuss with me his financial position I worry at times how he survives. He lives as far as I can see on the bare essentials of life. Even to a rented TV set. When there was a mention of further taxes as Bedroom Taxes and window taxes, how would this effect him, as said he will not discuss with me. Regards John Sabourn.

[John Pruden]

with the pay freeze nurses and police officers are leaving by many numbers and are not being replaced my daughter is a home visitor nurse she has three times the case load as 2 years ago have far can they go without walking away from those professions?jp