UK Ministers - Rich Retirees should pay back benefits

[UserRequested]

Interesting read

Rich Retirees Should Pay Back State Benefits, U.K. Ministers Say - Bloomberg

Interested in what others would you do and why

Me personally - I would not. IMO I paid my taxes like everyone else. Perhaps I'm selfish

 

[heeyy_joe]

March on the House of Commons!

 

[daylatedollarshort]

If they don't want to give benefits to wealthy retirees than they should have income or asset testing. Should wealthy retirees voluntarily give up their pensions and pay for their free health care as well?

 

[marko]

Ah yes, the old "work hard-save your money-pay your taxes-be judicious-get ridiculed-give your money to the layabouts" ploy.

I thought the UK had learned from that painful lesson several decades ago.

 

[nun]

The Conservatives continue to attack the principle of universal benefits. Everyone should get the benefit irrespective of their income levels. Once they remove it form the rich it becomes easy to take it away form others. However, the minister that suggested this is back tracking.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2013/apr/29/iain-duncan-smith-benefits

 

[UserRequested]

The Conservatives continue to attack the principle of universal benefits. Everyone should get the benefit irrespective of their income levels. Once they remove it form the rich it becomes easy to take it away form others. However, the minister that suggested this is back tracking.

Iain Duncan Smith: I am not asking pensioners to hand back benefits | Politics | guardian.co.uk

An excellent backflips with a degree of difficulty of 9.7

 

[RockyMtn]

'The trouble with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people's money'? Margaret Thatcher

 

[nun]

'The trouble with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people's money'? Margaret Thatcher

Can't say I agree with that, but Maggie did say some pretty stupid things IMHO.

 

[travelover]

Can't say I agree with that, but Maggie did say some pretty stupid things IMHO.

Ummm..I think she died.

 

[JoeWras]

Does bacon taste different in the UK?

 

[eridanus]

'The trouble with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people's money'? Margaret Thatcher

The trouble with capitalism is that you eventually run out of other people's labor.

 

[FIREd]

The trouble with ER.org is that we never run out of bacon.

 

[Chuckanut]

+1

 

[Chuckanut]

Just set up a tontine. That would solve a lot of problems.

 

[theOAP]

I'd take all of this subject with a grain of salt. The local elections are being held in the UK next week.

To put this into perspective:

The bus pass.
If you don't use it, the benefit = $0. I don't know many pensioners who use a bus pass. Those that do, deserve (need) the benefit. Rich pensioners just fire up the Rolls.

The TV License.
Yes, in the UK you need a license to watch any TV, even if it's on your computer. The cost: $218/year for colour, $74/year for black and white (are there any B&W sets left?). Everyone pays this unless you are 75 years old; then it's free.

The winter fuel allowance.
Each old age pensioner is awarded $150/year to help heat their house during the winter.

Not really astronomical amounts.

 

[nun]

Does bacon taste different in the UK?

Yes it does. Bacon is different in the UK. There is a lot less fat than on US bacon.

 

[marko]

Not really astronomical amounts.

So, why bother people over such insignificant amounts of money? It's not going to make any difference, why even bring it up? More pandering?

 

[nun]

I'd take all of this subject with a grain of salt. The local elections are being held in the UK next week.

To put this into perspective:

The bus pass.
If you don't use it, the benefit = $0. I don't know many pensioners who use a bus pass. Those that do, deserve (need) the benefit. Rich pensioners just fire up the Rolls.

The TV License.
Yes, in the UK you need a license to watch any TV, even if it's on your computer. The cost: $218/year for colour, $74/year for black and white (are there any B&W sets left?). Everyone pays this unless you are 75 years old; then it's free.

The winter fuel allowance.
Each old age pensioner is awarded $150/year to help heat their house during the winter.

Not really astronomical amounts.

My mum gets all those benefits. She lives the bus pass now that she doesn't drive.

I have a fundamental problem with means testing such, benefits as its the first step in removing them for larger and larger sections of the population. Universal benefits gives everyone an interest in their sensible management. Now we just have to get the US to stop taxing UK tax free benefits paid to US citizens..........

 

[nun]

So, why bother people over such insignificant amounts of money? It's not going to make any difference, why even bring it up? More pandering?

Exactly and means testing would probably disproportionally remove those benefits from Conservative Party voters hence the swift back tracking.