Sir! Keir! Starmer!

And as someone almost at pensionable age I do struggle with the concept of folk retiring with only a State Pension to support them; did they put nothing aside whatsoever and/or never have a private/works pension during their working lives?

Yes a lot of people can barely afford to live week to week – putting aside money for retirement is a luxury.

Yes a lot of people can barely afford to live week to week

Undoubtedly true but there are a lot more that either naively think (expect) the state to provide a comfortable retirement or just live for now maximising their current lifestyle at the expense of retirement.

Pensions were never intended to cover 30 plus years of comfortable retirement which people now expect. If you want that you have to pay for it either taxes or privately.

or just live for now maximising their current lifestyle at the expense of retirement.

Not an entirely unnacceptable life goal if you ask me. Who wants to work their bollocks off saving money so you can sit in a care home dementedly staring at the walls waiting for death? **** that!

What about the period between retirement and care home, I’m at least hoping for a few years of active fulfilling life before senility sets in. Anyway it’s personal choice but don’t moan if you spend today and have to live off beans and watch the heating costs later.

Unless you live in Rone’s parallel financial dimension someone has to pay at some point to fund your living costs.

There appears to be at least a couple of individuals on this thread who wish to conserve the status quo ……“nothing tooo radical please”

I’ve yet to read the memories or biography of a conviction politician like Benn or Truss who didn’t think the civil service were thwarting their plans at every turn. I tend to think it’s a combination of the mentality of the  types of folks who aspire to high political office, the democratic process being party a beauty pageant and the Dunning-Kruger effect

or just live for now maximising their current lifestyle at the expense of retirement.

dazh
Not an entirely unnacceptable life goal if you ask me. Who wants to work their bollocks off saving money so you can sit in a care home dementedly staring at the walls waiting for death? **** that!

(Rambling post alert.)

^^Agreed. I’ve already had to dip into my small pension at the age of 56 and next year I might literally be homeless as the house is sold to fund my old mum’s residential care. They might defer payment, the might not. They dont know at this stage.

If that comes to pass, I’ll be drawing a further circa £5K out to get a small van  to use as a micro camper to live in. I’ll park up outside my lads for to use their shower and that. Lol

Anyway… No idea if I’ll be around into retirement age and I don’t want to live in a bedsit. Been there, done that.

Seeing social care up close and personal these days has utterly convinced me that it’s a shit time to be old and infirm I’m this country. When my quality of life starts to diminish significantly ill be taking an ‘alternative route’ unless I qualify for assisted dying.

So yeah, practicalities of roof (van) overhead and ‘living for now’ mean I’ll be skint in later life… but I still consider myself luckier than many!

or just live for now maximising their current lifestyle at the expense of retirement.

dazh
Not an entirely unnacceptable life goal if you ask me. Who wants to work their bollocks off saving money so you can sit in a care home dementedly staring at the walls waiting for death? **** that!

(Rambling post alert.)

^^Agreed. I’ve already had to dip into my small pension at the age of 56 and next year I might literally be homeless as the house is sold to fund my old mum’s residential care. They might defer payment, the might not. They dont know at this stage.

If that comes to pass, I’ll be drawing a further circa £5K out to get a small van  to use as a micro camper to live in. I’ll park up outside my lads for to use their shower and that. Lol

Anyway… No idea if I’ll be around into retirement age and I don’t want to live in a bedsit. Been there, done that.

Seeing social care up close and personal these days has utterly convinced me that it’s a shit time to be old and infirm I’m this country. When my quality of life starts to diminish significantly ill be taking an ‘alternative route’ unless I qualify for assisted dying.

So yeah, practicalities of roof (van) overhead and ‘living for now’ mean I’ll be skint in later life… but I still consider myself luckier than many!