Pensions - what a fine mess!

So – now 2million Public sector workers strike. The Government has missed a trick here. If they had simply altered the pension benefits i.e. made it “work longer” and/or “get less” for the SAME contribution then there would have probably not been a strike but when faced with a 3% cut in pay as well….

So when you’re only on £15k it’s a hard pill to swallow. Most would probably be better off on benefits costing the Government (Tax payers) even more. Is that really what they want?

Or at the end of the day they’ll just opt out of their Pensions, saving the 6-9% deduction, end up with no Pension when they retire and thus live on the State pension topped up with what ever benefits they’re entitled to. Seeing as the object is to raise more money to get us out of the ”mess” then this won’t work will it Mr. Osborne? A voluntary Tax! Great – how many people will “volunteer to pay tax”?

Public Sector Pensions Rip-off

So now the latest idea is to give £1billion to help youngsters get work. Yet at the same time they want Public Sector Workers to have a 3% pay cut (average) for the same pension yet work years longer before getting it. Mr Osborne its a 3% PAY CUT.

So you've revamped YTS - great! and at the end there will still be no REAL JOBS

Get the Economy going, then the Public Sector workers on "Poverty Wages" (Government figures) will get REAL jobs paying decent wages and not be a burden on the state. Then those that want to retire why not let then and use the £1billion to boost the pensions thereby freeing up Real Jobs for the Youngsters?

This way the Public Sector workers you really need, Nurses, Doctors, Teachers, Care Workers can pay in the same as now and get a decent pension when they retire.

As they say "Simples". You may get the Strike called off.

Benefit receivers get 5% payrise

So the folk on Benefits get a 5% payrise.

I know most on benefits are not "well off" but let me say some of us working are feeling the pinch! I have not had a payrise for 2 years and don't expect one next year. I am on below average earnings, yet I pay Tax and NI to support those on benefits.

If I was on say £60k I might feel differently. So just think, on Benefits all income free of tax, just think what they'd need to earn before deductions to be as well off?

I think its about time benefits were taxable income. So then those who get vast amounts would feel the pinch like you and me.

Let me equally advocate though that the Chancellor should let you "average" your Tax allowances over say 3 years. That way any unused Tax allowance could be used when you start earning and thus you'd be much better off working. Earning and not paying tax to start off with. Also where is this Marrieds Persons allowance Dave promised. If 2 share an income they should be able to share their tax allowances.

Read my Cracking Conspiracy Thriller

This may be the greatest conspiracy of the 20th Century?

The story that they don't want you to know. Based on true events find out the real reason why the USA entered the 2nd World war later. Why the USA actually collaborated with Nazi Germany. What was Roosevelt doing staying at Hitler's Eagle's Nest retreat in Bavaria?

Ben Ward, a junior doctor in buffalo reads his Grandfather's Memoirs as a POW in Auschwitz

and embarks on a race against the CIA, MI6, Stasis, Mossad and KGB who want to stop him uncovering the truth at all costs.

You'll not put it down until the dramatic, breathtaking climax to the story. Life will never be same again. If they let me publish it.

Poor are Starving?

Let me say "I agree" with Edwina Currie, the One Show BBC 1 tonight.

The POOR ARE NOT STARVING!

As shown on the program, people living on Benefits basically expect to continue living at the standard they are accustomed to. Let me tell them this IS NOT POSSIBLE. You have to cut back.

As the lady said " the children expect it" - sorry "You can't afford it".

I know a single mum with 3 children, not working. I am astonished that they have TV/DVD Video/several computers/mobile phones/Computer games console/Dog/telephone/broadband and piles of toys. She is spending £200 each for Christmas. The eldest (17) gets £30 a week for attending school and saves it all! Expecting Mum to support him totally. They have just hadnew furniture, fencing, cooker, washer,and a gardener to landscape. They eat out several times a week and buy in "delivered meals". Not to mention the Council Tax and Housing Benefit. All this on benefits. So she doesn't work and pay tax.

I work and pay tax but can't afford that lifestyle. How come - is this justified?

I know people working on less than £15000 a year who support themselves and a Mortgage getting no benefits but paying Tax.

How much would my Lady have to earn (Gross) to live on the income she gets from the State?

I think this is why the country is in the mess it is.

These folk could rightly claim to be starving if they gave up the TV/DVD Video/several computers/mobile phones/Computer games console/Dog/telephone/broadband and piles of toys. If then they still could not afford Food I'd be sympathetic.

Its just not real!

Survival of the FITtest - my answer

What should HMG do, I suggest:-

1. No VAT on domestic Solar/Wind etc. installations. That way the capital cost comes down, more people buy them and as demand increases the costs come down as well.
2. Remove VAT on the 1^st tier of fuel rates. Why TAX the least well off then pay them benefits? These people in Fuel poverty are often the ones unlikely to be able to swap suppliers etc. to gain the benefit – what if they are on a pre-payment. They also don’t have well insulated houses, can’t afford insulation, and don’t know how to conserve energy/heat.
3. Get the economy going – this will help everyone. If the Stock Market goes up then the Pension funds are up also helping keep the cost of Pensions down so less need to increase contributions/work longer. 20 years ago a lumps sum annuity bought a pension twice as big as now (I don’t need to tell you how that is a double whammy as prices have doubled since then as well)
4. Make the Banks pay realistic interest rates to savers, they charge silly rates to borrowers when the Bank rate is only 0.5% how is that not just sheer robbery?

No survival of the FITtest

I must say how dismayed and shocked I was to hear that the funding for the FIT schemes had been slashed. We are awating a quotation to have solar panels fitted but this is questionable now.

I really think it is in the best interest of everybody to conserve fuel/energy and do what you can to be green.

In the current situation, with rocketing fuel bills Solar Panels seemed a good idea but they are a huge capital expense. If you can afford the outlay it does make sense. For us it was a case of a small Bond maturing at the end off the month. Should we reinvest? But look at the abysmal interest rates. By putting the money to solar panels, with the FITs we would get a better return and help be Green.

Not now though

We are lucky to have paid off our Mortgage, but now we see what savings we have eroded by inflation, pitiful interest rates and looming cuts to our pensions. What do we do? If we had a mortgage and no savings we’d be better off! That is why the country is in a mess. It’s the spend today, worry about tomorrow tomorrow mentality, not like how were were brought up, you must know what I mean.

What can the Government do to help?

M5 Crash - how appalling

First let me say my sincere sorrow to all those involved and condolences to all those bereaved.

Now let me ask should we not all drive at a speed and distance appropriate to the conditions? I was not there and do not know what happened but lets say smoke was involved.

I know that at 80mph (the proposed new Maximum speed limit) in the dark I cannot stop in the distance picked out by my DIPPED headlights. Yet how many folk drive at this speed on dipped Headlights. Slow down to the distance you can see to stop in.

How many times in poor conditions have I slowed down only to be overtaken and worse had a Bully on my tail feet from my bumper wanting me to speed up. He can see me but how do I know what is ahead if I can't SEE IT!

What about these Stealth Drivers? Now the days are short and often even in the daylight it s poor visibility with cloud and rain yet I see (eventually) dark cars with NO lights on. Are they frightened of being seen? Surely if I pull out in front of a car "I can't see" then they'd be a bit miffed, if he hit me it would be a lot more expensive all around than the thimbleful of fuel he's saved by not putting his lights on. If we had any Police on the roads I'd expect them to stop these idiots and make them put their lights ON.

Greece and the Debt Crisis

Answer me this - where does the money come from?

If we're in debt, and it seems everyone else is more or less - how can we put money in the IMF to bail out Greece when we're in so much debt?

If I was in debt - would I borrow more to help my mate out? - no of course not.

SO WHY IS BRITAIN?

Fuel bills putting folk in Fuel Poverty

Instead of handing more money out to the Poor why don't the Government take the VAT off fuel?

At least if they took it off the First Charge it would be fairest to the poor then those that use oodles of Gas/Electric and can afford it can pay the VAT.

Its daft collecting tax off the poorest and then giving it back when they can't afford to pay it in the first place