Michael Caine caused a bit of a kafuffle after the Budget last month when he joked that, aged 76, he gets up at 6am every morning to go to work on behalf of benefits claimants. Caine is angry about the proposed new tax rate of 50 per cent which will hit people earning more than £150,000 a year. Perhaps he won’t be signing our petition to raise the Jobseeker’s Allowance, then. Shame, as he is one of my favourite actors. In his days as a London taxi driver my father once picked up Caine and his wife Shakira. Caine was very friendly and not at all celeb-like and as for Shakira, my father said – much to the annoyance of my mother – that she was so stunning she would look good in anything – even a bin liner.
But now it seems that Michael Caine won’t be the only UK worker grafting his way to the grave. A think tank called the National Institute of Economic & Social Research claims that in order to pay back the mammoth borrowings Messieurs Darling and Brown have amassed on our behalf, we’ll all have to work until we’re 70. Now, I don’t mind hard work, but I’d be lying if I said that put a big smile on my face. I occasionally have workaholic moments, but the prospect of grafting until I’m in my dotage hardly appeals. In fact I’ve always dreamed of retiring early – not that I’m anywhere close to being on target to do so unless I (a) win the lottery (b) write a JK Rowling/Dan Brown-style bestseller or (c) the chickens dig up a stash of buried loot in the back garden. Lexi is doing her best, but so far all she’s uncovered is a few lettuces in the vegetable patch and a tiny toy gorilla.
Some years ago one of my friends came up with a brilliant retirement plan. Us girls would pool our money together to buy a mansion and – assuming we had sadly outlived our partners – employ attractive young men in skimpy outfits to clean up after us and serve our prescription medication. A far more attractive prospect than working, if you ask me.
But what will life be like if we’re all grafting until we’re 70? Due to his diabetes, one of my retired relatives falls asleep every afternoon and whenever he eats anything. Will corporations be forced to set up power napping stations instead of crèches? Will the good old-fashioned tea lady, once a key part of office life, make a comeback in the shape of a medication trolley dolly, doling out pills instead of PG Tips? And what happens if swine ‘flu or some other pandemic wipes out a significant portion of the working population? Will the survivors have to work even longer – maybe until we’re in our eighties – to compensate for the rest?
Then there’s good old gold watch syndrome. Will we work ourselves to the bone until we retire, only to drop dead a few months later before we can enjoy our retirement? Whichever way you look at it, working until you’re 70 doesn’t sound like much fun to me. I suppose that many of us are living longer and perhaps 70 is the new 65 for some anyway. But with diabetes and obesity at epidemic proportions, will we really be in a fit state to work that long? And, frankly, why should we have to just to pay for the economic mess the government has made?
Do you want to work until you’re 70? What do you think it would be like? Do you have an alternative solution to paying back the government’s borrowings? Let me know by leaving a comment.
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The Frugal Life - with Piper Terrett 
To Mr Brown. . No need for housing allowances or any other allowances for MPS.When they are in their constituency they are at home all outgoings should be paid in the same way as any other resident. If they use their house as an office they should pay the relevant business rates and taxes like all other home workers.When they are required to attend parliament there are enough military barracks in the London area to house them, and like all servicemen and women they should pay for the use of these facilities. The only thing they should receive is travel allowance at the same rate again as all servicemen and women, this would reduce the governments overspend significantly, especially if all back benchers are treated as Nco\’s. After all MPs are no more special than the rest of the work force. Working till 70 would not worry me as long as those in Government did not squander the money gained in taxes G.G.D
Every dog has its day and I truly believe UK will become just like Africa oneday…a poor country where everyone is looting one another. Look at India once an incredibly rich country until the British decided to rule and loot the country of its wealth…Everyone I have come across has left the UK, or if they are wealthy have set up in Monaco/Switzerland so as not to pay UK taxes. GO LEWIS HAMILTON! who on his £10 million earning per annum does not pay a single penny of tax, not to mention the hundreds of entreprenurs who do the same. What we need to do is abolish the \’Nanny\’ state, maybe then people would be kinder to their parents and relatives because they would be the first point of call. There are teenage girls who get pregnant and have four kids because they know it will give them an earning of £650 per week with a house on top!F**K the UK and its shite rules
What\’s your problem ? I\’m still working at 75. Need the bloody money. All income taxed, including pensions received at 65.However I am not overburdened with materialistic problems. Taxed on all my pleasures. Need to work to maintain levels ofhealth and survival. Too many "moaners" and far too many idle "b"s. Now look M Ps "stealing" from us (the taxpayer).Roll on death !
I am a very young 67 ! A qualified electrician with HGV license why should I not use my skills while I can, it should be my choice!!!
I GUESS THERE IS A GIVE AND TAKE ON BOTH SIDES OF THIS DEBATE BUT FOR ME THE BENCH MARK IS TO RETIRE AT SIXTY OR SOONER IF POSSIBLE. THE LONGER I WORK I WILL BE STOPPING A YOUNGER PERSON WITH A NEED FOR A JOB TO KEEP HIS FAMILY OR JUST TO GIVE HIM/HER A FOCUS IN LIFE. THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE WHO ARE VERY HAPPY TO LIVE OFF THE STATE BUT FOR THOSE WHO NEED/WANT TO GET ON THEIR LIVES AND START PAYING TAX WHICH WILL BENEFIT OTHERS AT MY TIME OF LIFE. NO MATTER WHAT ANYONE THINKS ON THIS MATTER THEGOVERNMENT WILL STILL PROFIT WITH SOME SORT OF TAX. BEST OF LUCK TO ANYONE LOOKING FOR A JOB, FOR THOSE STILL CONTENT TO LIVE OFF OF THE STATE WITHOUT WORKING YOU MAY NOT HAVE ANYTHING AT ALL AT THE AGE OF 65/70 WHEN YOU WILL REALLY NEED IT.IF THE PATH OF LIFE YOU CHOSE HAS NO OBSTACLES XXX IT LEADS NO WHERE
NO WAY ! I want to enjoy some time after retiring from work….surely there are enough unemployed people out there waiting for my job ?
It\’s like going back in time to the workhouse. Spose the govnt hope enough people die by working them into an early grave so they can make savings on pensions. They haven\’t thought of the health and safety issues of more time off and mass allocation of zimmer frames. How about disbanding some of the overseeing bodies and cutting funding of the National Institute of Economic & Social Research
I started work at 15, then at 18 trained as a nurse, so if I retired at 70 that would be 55 years of work 52 of which as a nurse, its too much!!! though if I had donethe same as a miner in the pits I wouldnt make it to 70.
The problem is you have idiots in offices on 6 figure sums and MP\’s which are willing to "work" longer to grab more cash….. but what about people in real physical and mentaly demanding jobs? I dont want to be still working outside in all weathers at the age of 70…….. its bad enough doing it until 65!
No point in working after 65, as you lose tax allowances, etc etc. You get a measly tax allowance, the only benefits you get are free bus passes (local, not National express) so it takes you hours to 15 miles, free prescriptions, but you get taxed on virtually everything else. I\’m thinking of standing for parliament as my second home allowance, woud be two and a half times my state pension, and i would get my council tax paid.!!! I saw an MP criticising the system last week, from where? guess, a first class railway carriage, not second class, ticket, courtesy of you and me, the tax payer. Come back William Pitt all is forgiven
i would b happy 2 work till im 90 2 pay off the mps expenses belive that if u like
It is shameful that labour expect everyone except MPs & Public Workers on gold plated pensions to \’live to work\’ until they drop, instead of \’working to live\’!!! At the same time they have been robbing the rest of workers to live in kuxury & bail out their mate in the banks & allow millions of wasters in tp scam us as well, etc. Labour are the most vile form of scum that have ever been in power in the UK. Idiots & thieves & one amoeba has more IQ than this lot collectively.
With age discrimination, people over 50 find it difficult to get jobs. We can\’t all work at B & Q. It is time the government stopped punishing us for working hard, saving for our retirement and putting money into pensions only to find that everything we have now has been eroded by those in power. (Retired and living in France)
As a construction worker I physically could\’nt work until I was 70 and have already lost my pension with the banks collapsing – I agree with ropaled. I dont know where all of this is going to end so I am now planning to leave Britain for good with the mass exodus as I dont want my children to inherit this Governments debt. You only get anything in this country if your a thieving sponger!! (Just like the MPs)
Pay for the MPS land pay for the banks mistakes and millions losing their homes and then to top it off we have to work till we\’r 70 and then end up with NO pension…haha what a joke! NO way am I votng tory or labour – they better pay back every penny
i think people should work as long as they want to if they feel fit enough let them work till they deceide they want to retire .what gives the goverment any right to tell people when they should retire
what we need is businessmen running the country not politicians at all, they are absolutley useless at it labour and the conservatives accumulated this debt together over the years and with them running the country it will never get any better, what use actually are politicians they have no really function at all do we really need this sad bunch of halfwits sitting around bickering at our expense, and robbing us to boot sack them all lock them up and make examples of them who the hell are they to say sorry and walk away scot free, really we cannot have any confidence in any of them any more except the few that actually did,nt exploit us because they deserve higher regard , now some of these twats expect us to work till we are 70 to pay there debts and work to keep the influx of imported benifits claimant they allow to drown us, well s od all that i,m off to warmer clims where i can enjoy what i earn at not be legal robbed and abuse , it either that or a dam good revolution to clear the cr ap out of britain and make us once again great and proud
Anyone who wants to work till 70 can, but needs his head examined.60 is the limit, never mind 65!40 years of work is enough for anyone, must be rewarded by a decent pension.I am not talking about the layabouts on the dole!!And yes, sack all the politicians, esp. the MPsWe do not need them, they need us, greedy b……s
I think it is absolutely disgraceful that the ordinary taxpayer will have to work until they are 70, there should be a choice and if people wish to retiire at 65 they should be able to, it will come as no surprise to anyone that polititions and civil servants will most probably be able to continue to retire with a very good pension at age 55
The government rob us everyday by paying every junkies so called rehibilitation medicines every week multiple times a week estimated approx 500 pounds a week each so stop this ludicrous action and get them to work instead of sit on their asses doing nothing while they all dish out the numerous sob stories about how hard life is for them they have no less chance in life than the rest of us! They got addicted and the government got addicted to giving the free drugs every week to them thats more addictive than the substances they abuse!! Not to mention they get everything they want houses furnished for free that they ofcourse they sell the lot for more junk!! jump infront of ppl on the housing lists that need a home that are paying tax to feed their habbits in the first place!! stop this and free up some cash for the so called banks bailout blunder which in my eyes is the governments blunder as they did nothing to stop this happening! They left greed driven,power mad,eagotistical idiots incharge of the whole worlds financies with no safegaurds thats the joke!!! in the end why should we suffer for their mistakes work til 70 work to death more like!!!!
The ordinary working person will be hit on yet again. The only people that won\’t have to work past 65, are MPs, drug lords and crooks. We should bring back "Madame Guillotine" for the MPs, SHOOT all drug activists and crooks. From burglars to Pedophiles. And yes I would pull the trigger, no problem. Probably till I\’m 70.
Great britain is great if your not british, and now we have our leaders robbing us blind. Cant these people see that there is something brewing in this country and its trouble brought on by the arrogant so an sos that run it.we will have to work until we are 70 to support every other toe rag that does not work or even belong in this country, thanks to the EU that we so lovingly adhere to and beleive in every law that they tell us we have to adhere to. Why do the governments that run the country let people have powerfull jobs when they know nothing about the role they are in. For gods sake people its time we stood up to be counted and the next few weeks when the eueopean elections are due is a good place to start.
"No Name" says don\’t vote for Tory or Labour, I agree what would happen if NOBODY at all voted? Everyone could do what they like!Surely that will be no different than what it is now. Rapists, Peado\’s, Junkies, Murderers, Theives and not forgetting those from other countries. They all do what they like and more. Seriously thou, the coverment got us into this mess, why don\’t they use their own money to get us out of it? Something has got to be done soon. It makes me angry that grown men & women can\’t sort out this sort of problem, what they have worked and train for.
m ps work till over 70 you can see them a sleep in the house of lords god help them if the had to do a manuel job. most people are not fit enough at that age , however this topic is a clever diversion away from m ps expences. work till your 70 so this stupid goverment can send the money abroad next time theres a disaster or some one asks . pity our pensioners dont get a fair deal ive worked from 16 and am 57 now out of work once for 2 weeks 65 is enough let people enjoy a little life at that age.
How about getting all the unemployed,into work first – including those who do not qualify to go on unemployment registers (2nd half of couples, long term unemployed, those with children under 16, single parents with young children, those on incapacity support (note incapacity not disability where it is proved they are really poorly), make prisoners work, rather than just sit in cells, they can work and learn a trade at the same time, then when all these groups are working look at the pension retirement age… I think personally that retirement should be lowered not raised, I do not want to work until 70 for sure – and it should be voluntary not enforced. Perhaps if those in power were paid less, or alternatively there was less people in power with the same wages doing more work, costs may start to go down.. that is meant both politically and commercially, if you earn the wage you should be doing the equivalent work to what you earn.
I found out about 6 months ago that the legislation is already in place to gradually increase state pension age for men & women starting 2024 up to 66,2034 up to 67 then to 68 by 2044 (information from the direct.gov.uk). Therefore, I would assume that sometime quite soon that our government(whoever may be in power) will propse to implement an increase to 70. I believe that to implement these changes without widespread public debate and to almost bury these changes is typical of the current administration. The justification was that we must balance our books because it was going to cost a couple of billion pounds to pay future pensions…..oops credit crunch! how many billions has been given now to the BANKERS who exploited the credit feeding frenzy of the past ten years? And where have these profits all gone..siphoned off into the directors back pockets and pensions..
I wouldn\’t mind health permitting to work untill 70 but how would this release jobs for youngsters who are looking for work ? If we hold on to the jobs we have then I can definatly see whole generations of youth who will never know what work is.I also ask myself why would I work untill 70? To get a government who created a hole in the economy out of the you know what,,If I incurr a debt do I ask someone else to pay it for me ? NO I pay it myself, so the first thing that should be looked at are MPs SALARIES, then their expense returns to see if they could afford to pay back what THEY owe, perhaps the Queen could hock a few diamonds after all she is the head of the government.
I`ve been made redundant @ 57 & can`t get a job, It might be illegal to show ageism discrmination but it exist`s beside`s It`s only so this & all goverment parties don`t have to pay you a pension which I have been contributing to since I was 15, me personally hand`s off & SOD OFF.
SUITS ME FINE ! DONT MIND WORKING TIL IM 70 BUT I DO MIND PAYING TAXES AND IT GOING TO ALL THE DOLE BUMS OUT THERE!!! I really feel for the people that have lost their jobs lately and cannot find work – i would despair 😦 – these people need the tax payers help and that is absolutley fine BUT the people who just can\’t be bothered to even look for a job really do get to me! The ones that stand outside in the night smoking pot, drinking booze til all hours – ID LIKE TO KNOW WHERE THEY GET THEIR MONEY….BUT BEING A RETAIL STORE MANAGER I ALREADY HAVE A BLOODY GOOD IDEA!!!!!
We are I think the only country in Europe to have to work as long as we do. In Turkey retirement age is 55 and is compulsory. All pensioners are looked after with free healthcare & dentists, more than we get. My pension will only be £70.00 week, how the hell could I live on that.
I think it is the wrong question. Working until 70 infers we would have jobs. Given how hard ti is to fond one you can stay in that long let alone find one when you are over 50 the question should be..Should we reform the law to allow people over 50 to actually be able to get a job.
This so called government is insane, work till your 70 to pay Greedy Goodwin\’s pay out and pension.Work till your 70 to pay for all the failed banker\’s bonuses.Work till your 70 to pay for all the MP\’s getting their moats cleaned.There will not be any NHS, immigrants will be living the life of luxury, Drug addicts will be literally leading the high life and unmarried mothers will be breeding to ensure they get all their benefits and a roof over their heads.Revolution is what we need, if we can get the time?
Sod that
why the hell should you work after 65,i like many other people in this rip off country have worked since leaving school at 16 i think all the tax and nat ins,you have paid should cover you dont you think.No it doesnt i got made redundant,and living on jobseekers allowance.So how on earth can pensioners survive.And (joke)now they want you to work till 70.talk about slave labour..So your supposed to work till you drop oh yes this only happens in great britain.What is great about britain.
I AM 64 AND I HAVE TO TAKE COMPOLSARY RETIREMENT NEXT IN JUNE FROM MY PRESANT COMPANY ALSO I DONT WANT TO RETIRE I HAVE SENT OFF FOR MANY JOBS WITH NO LUCK I DO ACCOUNTS BOUGHT LEDGER ANY IDEAS
My idea would be to move to a deserted Island and declare it a rebublic, just think no tax no money grabbing MPs no clocks and still claim my pension from a forgotten shambles of a country
Let\’s not forget, 100 years ago, more or less, before "health and safety" was around, workers in some occupations rarely lived to retirement age; for example, the Sheffield Grinder… "the strongest man among us is old at 32…" I\’n now a self employed handyman, having left the NHS ratrace. I rather think I may well be working until I\’m 70; unless, of course, I\’m demented or otherwise disabled.
Get the MP\’s to pay back what they have racked up themselves……!!
I worked from the age of 18. I was made redundant at 54 but got another job, then I retrained and got another job again at 62 I was made redundant again at 63, I then worked as a part time temp until I had cancer at 64, I returned to work at 65. By the time I was 69 I thought I would die on my feet from exhaustion. I am now 71 and have been retired for 2 years and I an so tired. I do not believe that the average person can work until 70 – I think they will die first…or is that the intention. I worked for 51 years and I would not ask anyone to do that. In my case it was essential due to lack of money. In between I raised my son alone as I was divorced. Tired ….you could say so. Now I would like a chance to put my feet up and smell the flowers…….. No one should be asked to work this long. When MP\’s talk of working until 70 they must not judge work as their own occupation, which although stressful is not a long hard working strenuous slog…..my grandad worked in the gas works until 65 he was worn out, he died at 66. 70 is too long.
I worked from the age of 16 andi am now 70 and still working, because I only get part pension I paid full stamp, but because I was at home for 9 years when my kids were small I do not qualify for the full pension. Any way the pension is not enough to keep folk especially if you are widow/er. Get the Tax dogers, MP\’s and layabouts to pay back to the system and raise the oap.
I started work when I was 15 and am now in my 71st year and still working. I get up at 5,45 a.m. each morning to be in my workplace by 8.00 a.m. I have health problems but nothing that a positive attitude can\’t cope with. Do I want to stay at home and live in comparitive poverty? A resounding no! I love my work with young people and intend to carry on as long as I can.
I was very fortunate to see where Tony Bliar and strangely Brown were going so i left the country 5 years ago, wow what a relief, now 49, work til 70 NO chance…brown should be hung..thank god i left the now 4rseh0le of the world…a happy man
What a disgrace! It\’s not our fault this Country is almost bankrupt. Talk about a step backwards, my Great-Grandfather worked until he was 70 after being injured in WW1 and working from the age of 13. My Grandfather (his son) worked until he was 65 and my Father finished at 60; good thing he did as he would not have had much retirement if he had to work to 70 as he passed away not too long after. I won\’t be following in the steps of my Father, but my Great – Grandfather! I wouldn\’t mind working to 70 if I was an MP though, where I could claim for every mortal thing and get extended holidays.
I agree with most of whats been written, we\’ve too many scumbags and spongers in this country …. and that\’s just the theiving MP\’s….. not to mention the hardcore unemployed and immigrant spongers… kindly allowed to wander into this country to take what so obviously isn\’t theirs to take. It\’s time for us as a nation to stand firm and refuse to put up with any more. We should vote with our feet and leave the politicians in no doubt as to how sick we really are of them.. As for the expenses row, they are little better, if not worse than benefit cheats and should be made an example of. I am appalled at the prospect of working until I am 70, why should we just to pay off their debts, they should make those responsible pay back all the money, strip them of their assets, homes and all, this includes all those greedy bankers and let them feel what its like to be faced with being homeless. God we live in a very sick society in Britain.
scrolling through the protesters of which I\’m one, I find a letter from an obvious immigrant (by the tone of his letter) his comments about a lot of his aquaintancies and friends having to go home because they can no longer get a fair deal in Britain. WELL it is people like this that have contributed greatly to Britains demise. They come over here with no jobs to go to, and go straight to DHSS for their handouts. They get free Dr\’s and medical care without having paid anything in contributions. THEN complain when they dont like the fact they are not living like Princes. IF YOU DONT LIKE IT then please please go home, and we shall have less of a drain on our resources, and more jobs and homes for British born nationals.. THEN we can all retire young… I\’m against making it 70…
Toothy Rantzen for Prime Minister!!!Old, sorry, still young Esther , with her big teeth and attitude would clear up the Parliament and although I do not really know her age, would work till 100.Lets hope that she will not turn out like Maggie, otherwise we would have to work (in a work house) till the day we die.That I would not mind, but we should all retire with a fair pension at 60! Fair pension??Minimum 2000 pounds a month – according to the MPs pay and perks that would just about level the fieldOr work it out on percentage of previous earnings, meaning that the scroungers, all lifers on the dole would get their "fair share" of nothing
I would not want to be working 9 till 5 but providing I was happy in what I was doing, (let\’s face it most people would like a change) and in good health I think it is healthy to continue to have a purpose. It has to be balanced though, in as much that a person is able to enjoy social activities and earn enough money to be able to do these activities. It\’s not good when it\’s all work and no play. I think it is especially good for those who have lost a partner through divorce, death or some other reason. I know a lot of people who have been fortunate to be provided for who can continue a certain lifestyle and that is what keeps them active and have a social circle, giving them meaning to life. The older generation have a wealth of knowledge and experience and most are willing to help others, we should tap in to that particularly as families are breaking up and living further apart. It would be nice to see this generation involved in schools where they can encourage respect and teach specialists craft skills etc.
i work 12 hours a day six days a week . i think the goverment are talking shit again like everything they say we should enjoy our time when we give up work .I have worked sinse i was 12 years old now i am 30 a long way to go yet untill iam 65 but i think it should stay the same . what do these pen pushers know thats all they know isto waste our money.
It\’s a very valid point that for many people who do manual jobs for which you need to be physically fit, it\’s simply nonsense to expect them to work until they\’re 70. But I think it should be up to individuals whether they want to continue to work. If you want to, then all well and good, but if you don\’t then you should be able to put your feet up and enjoy the time you have left.
Working till your 70 is not new, I discovered a couple of months ago that the Government has already put this in place, I thought I could retire in 4 years when I reached 60 but now find that I have to work an extra 3 years till Im 63 before I can collect my state pension, over the next few years everyone will be working longer before they can retire and by 2020 everyone will be working till their 70, one of the girls I work with, who is in her 40\’s will have to work until she is 68, please check out the Government Pension website for details.
If anything the retirement age should be lowered to 60, in order to make way for school leavers and the unemployed. The billions spent on the EU should stop and foreign aid should be temporarily suspended in order to balance the nation\’s books
Why doesn\’t Michael Caine keep his big, stupid gob shut? He doesn\’t have to get up every day and slog out to a poorly-paid job he hate, he doesn\’t have to worry about paying bills, he can afford holidays wherever and whenever he wants. People work for long enough as it is and pay a fortune in taxes to keep the snouts of MPs in their golden trough. Enough is enough.
The retirement age hasn\’t gone up, just the age you draw the state pension. Good lesson is never rely on the state to provide and take charge of your own retirement planning. Younger people should broaden their horizons just like the eastern Europeans do. Stop grumbling, the world owes you nothing. If you\’re lucky you may have good health and lots of money. Equally, you may still be a miserable so and so. PS Learning to spell and punctuate your comments properly, may help some of you get a job.
After 6 ears of sheer hell in the 8th Army, my father went back to complete 19 years as head of the paint shop in carriage & loco building. He then became redundant with only two weeks notice, & missed out on the redundancy pay due to broken service (caused by King, country & Churchil). He then drove 7.5t for a builders merchant, also for a grocery firm, before completeing over 25 years as a postman in all weathers, oft 12 hours/day. They attempted to keep him to 65, but his "contract" was 60. He took the pathetic post office pension, & signed on fhe remaining 5 years, until full state pension. He passed away at 70, only because he gave up slavery at 60!I was forced by the home office to "retire" at 50, oft on only 40% benefit (income support), as I not "qualify" for JSA. By then I had completed 35 years of shift-work in all weathers, oft 18 hours, oft 90 hours/wk. This includes 12 years British MoD, followed by 12 years full time Bayerisches Red Cross, & 5 years DoT (Bonn).Ten years on, at 60, I am still yet fighting for the Right to Self-Sustenance/-Sufficiency ect., as per Human Rights Act, 10/12/1948, Geneva, Article 6, as also EEC, 05/11/1968, Brussels, Paragraph 1612. I was informed two years ago by the IRS, that I no longer have any hope of a state pension in UK.I currently have no life, or means thereof, only the crippling debts that arise from the benefit discrepancies. My housing benefit is currently £7,500 in arrears, the poll-tax at least £2,500, both include horrendous legal expences.The Right to Employment would improve my income, thereby also my living standard, & my hope of a social/economic resurection. Currently I am one of many suffering severe Social Exclusion, as also the resulting Civil Death. No I do not wish to go back 90hrs/wk, 3 nights of 12hrs/wk should be more than adequate, I could hopefully cope with that until I drop. It would certainly be an improvement on my current situation, without taking too much bread from the school-leavers & various others who may have some appetite for "(Right) Honourable Toil".In the "Zone" (East Germany), where I live & shufted from \’78 – \’88, the natives had a strict 8hr x 4day week. It made sence. A fifth day would have caused 25% unemployment. As a result, every school-leaver had an apprenticeship, therefore a guaranteed wage/pension for life.I would question, will the civil service be "working" on to 68, or even 70, or will they remain at 60?Currently, they only need 25 years service, to qualify for full civil service pension.tschaaaaaaaa, \’san die Krauter sch\’ wieada Schiltern dicht, brauchen mir ned mehr scharnigeln. (teutonic woolweavers ca. 1460ad.)
Every idividual will have their own agenda, much depends on type of work ,office,manual, whatever. Having retired at 65 .been in full time employment from school leaving at 15 (including two yrs. National Service RAF) My own situation turned out .1 Retired at 65 year of age. Had a pleasant 6month breakl.2Returned to previouse job-semi skilled warehousing-till the physicality of a full working week forced a rethink-which was to a 3 day week.3That worked well till the facts had to be faced and I finally retired at 72 .4The point is that unless you are convinced you can survive both finnacially and have enough "outside" interests Retiremnt can have it\’s downside.5 OH! -nearly forgot 2 years National Service at the age of 18 for both male and female should be compulsory.It is the only way to get a vast majority of that age group leavered out of their own communities to see how the other half live.It instills some basic skills which are beneficial for the rest of their lives. including retirement.
Get the Thieving MP\’s to pay the money back they have taken from the workers pockets.
Shut up government scumbags! Its ok working until you\’re 70 if your job is to sit on the front benches of the houses of parliament, falling asleep every few hours and lying while you\’re awake. Have these people ever tried hard manual labour? Do we really have an aging population? It may be the case at the moment yet it is clear to see that this won\’t last long as Britain\’s diet gets worse and worse, with McDonald\’s and Greggs multiplying like gremlins and an astonishing amount of harmful chemicals (which our species hasn\’t evolved to cope with!) in our everyday life, both in terms of the food we eat, the water that is ridden with pesticidal residues from agriculture and the air we breathe. There is a truly astonishing amount of wealth available to a small minority of people, money that they couldn\’t possibly spend, so tax them more! To be quite honest, I agree with Michael Cain about the £150000 50% tax band. 150k is a lot of money, but should these people really be in the same tax bracket as those who earn millions, or even billions!? Consider also, that wealth encourages longevity of life. Wealthy people live in less polluted areas, can afford organic food, and without the burden of financial stress are less likely to seek an unhealthy escapist lifestyle choice (such as cigarettes and alcohol) . Yet these people who live longer get to retire earlier thanks to their success. The most recent life expectancy stats I heard said that the average man dies at the age of 72, and a woman at 79. Now bear in mind that wealthier people live longer. In light of that, what is the average age a working class man dies? 68? 62? 70? I\’ve do not know the exact age but it is obviously less than 72. I\’d also like to point out that as we have an aging population this means that when the same generation was young 40 or 50 years ago we had a population that was disproportionally young, and therefore also unable to contribute to paying tax. Despite this our government still found the money to pay for these people to be educated. There is just as much of a burden on the tax payer to provide services for people who are too young as there is to provide for those who are too old, yet I don\’t remember this being an issue. And that is because it shouldn\’t be an issue. We should provide for our elderly and our youth as a matter of pride and joy rather than as though it is a burden. We collectively prioritise all sorts of stupid things over this, such as military adventures, olympic games, tax breaks for airlines, not to mention MP\’S to clean out their swimming pools. This government (and by that I don\’t mean Labour, I mean the entire establishment of corrupt Tories, labour and lib dems – they\’re all the same, and that definitely does NOT mean that I suggest voting for the BNP!) are a disgrace. They are filling our heads full of nonsense and are somehow getting away with persuading us that after having worked our entire life in uninspiring often hard jobs, that we should give up the little reward we get in the shape of a pittance of a pension and work that last few years until we die. Shame on them!
Raising the ritirement age and forcing people to work until they are 70 or over is sheer madness. The government has introduced a cradle to the grave approach in education but schools are be amalgamated due to poor building stock and falling pupil numbers. We are in a major recession if the press is to be believed and are likely to be in that state for several years to come. Business is on a downwards turn credit is a joke and so is the current benefit system when a single person gets around £61.50 yet those with disabilities get significantly more on jobseekers as well as their disability living allowance. Companies are not supposed to use your age with a view to offering you a post (believe that you will believe anything). I have retrained and fought hard to get my qualification against stiff opposition from the Jobcentre but it has made no difference I am still on the basic JSA for a single person. I do voluntary work which I enjoy but that I feel is fround upon by those in authority. I think retirement should be lowered to 55 and a full pension payed freeing up the job market for those leaving school or further education and the younger generation with families to give them a better quality of life as well as the pensioners. I have worked hard and have never been on benefits until recently buts it soon becomes apparent its a them and us state. Oh and since when is it acceptable to get money from central government to be used for training yet the local jobcentre has told me we use a certain amount of that to help people get to and from work. The whole system needs a good overhaul.
Ive done it made it and lost it all,now work all year round as a gardener in all weathersI am fit healthy and happy ,why stop at 65Some of you may be rich but are you happy,and is your life fulfilled ?i wil work till i drop and enjoy every minute
Its not only Diabetics who will suffer! can you imagine the men who repair roads, those who do all the hard physical demanding jobs to keep the politicians in their moated houses ! These men will be dying in work ! or maybe thats the plan- as they collapse and expire , they can just be pushed into the hole they have just dug . would also save on expense! let the b………s who got us in this mess work till they expire. or better still, put them and the politicians on a chaingang and let them do all the bloody work.
As a man I am doomed to work till I am 65 or maybe even longer as I am self employed 27 years gone, the insurance actuaries calculate a woman to live 4 years longer than a man which at 62 years of age makes me 7 years older than my wife who was retired from royal mail 7 years ago on the sick, no pension no redundancy 3 months in lou of notice thanks To Herr Blair and is English cleansing get rid of 30,000 Postal workers easy and no pay out. Wife was 5 months short of 25 years service
I\’m 67 and still work part time, beholding to nobody. When I was in full time employment I used to overhall huge overhead cranes and other very heavy machinery for the car industry. Can you imagine doing that at 70
I think its the most stupid thing iv heard since someone last mentioned the government to me. Why change things? Nobody wants to work until they are 70, people struggle to make it to 65. It will mean more people having to go on benifits when they are not in physically good enough state to work. We should be working to live not living to work!!!! We did\’nt get the government in this mess so why should we have to work to pay off *their* det? A better idea would for polititions alone to work until they are 70! And we retire when we feel like it. We charge the polititions our house hold bills to come out of their money, see how the cretins like it. From my experience most of my male family have died before they are 65, including a grandfather last year. We need to make the most of our lifes and that includes having a nice retirement while we are alive.
Currently 61, I have planned and studied during the last 5 years to develop skills and qualifications to enable me to have a variety of options open to me to make it possible to work at least until I\’m 70. I\’m also exercising more than I have done for years, and eating much more healthily. I don\’t want my mind or body packing up in the next couple of decades, and working will enable me to keep mentally and physically active, enjoy a better standard of living than I could if I retired, and give me a varied social life. I consider myself very lucky to work in a country that allows me to work almost as long as I choose and am able – if I lived in most of the countries in this world I\’d have died of malnutrition, disease, genocide, radiation sickness or some other end to my life long ago. The world owes us nothing – we\’re fortunate to live in the society and age that we do, so enjoy what you have, and enjoy every day, because one day you may not have what you have today, and one day you won\’t have another day.
nob
ive worked since i was 13 doing milk rounds carrying bundles to the glasgow barras and working 12 hour shifts with my granny for half a crown, twelve and a half pence today, im now 63 and been paid off redundant, ive worked in heavy industry all my life and 3 years ago found the job ive been waiting for all my life and was looking forward to working past 65 but now ive been thrown on the scrap heap, getting pension credit and going from earing a very decent wage to not being able to pay my debts without using my small amount of savings, not only should these m,p,s, be punished but all the greedy bankers should be left in the situation that we are in take the money back off them, bring in new laws, whatever it takes get the money back from them but im afraid its like everything else, if they can just hold out untill the media move on to another story they will get away with it the old story, one law for the rich and in the quagmire for the working man, p.s. ive always liked michael caine but honestly michael is it real work. Faslane- flyer
im 28 and i think u should get these people off thier back side who dont work at all because we r to lazy
Why work until 70…..no need. If you do not work, you will still get a pension like a lot of people I know. It is called a pension but made up of benefits, which means no rent, no council tax, free dentist etc. After paying out from my meagre pension for everything, I have a lot less left in my purse than they have. Oh my, if only I had known that years ago it does not pay to work these days. It is very sad though but society has changed and not for the better. But at the end of the day, you do not get rich by counting other peoples money. Our choice in life is our own. Not every actor gets a lot of work or is famous. You get out of life what you put in…except people who don\’t want to work of course, they expect others to keep and look after them. Please note, I do say the ones who don\’t want to work, that does not include people who have been made redundant and cannot find work. Before I retired, I was desperately looking for work but was too old and overqualified.Try asking the Job centre if they will take you on….I did, and got told they could not employ me because of their pension scheme and I was too old. In spite of the new regulation regarding age, any employer will find another excuse not to employ older people.So, at the end of the day, do not worry, you will get a pension made up of benefits and be better off.
To a large degree I agree with Michael, there are many lazy people in this country who sit on their backsides and drain hard workers of their taxes, however it is a slightly blinkered view – yes he worked hard to get where he is and have the lifestyle that it brings, however, what he forgets is that he was also very lucky to end up in a profession that pays exhorbitant amounts to its workers for a project. He needs to remember that while he is in the league of professional footballers – most of us minions are earning £6 to 7.00 an hour which I doubt he would get out of bed for; but us ordinaries DO and work just as hard as he has over the years maybe even harder because we have to work longer hours just to make ends meet and pay our bills – not to earn an extra buck in order to build 2nd and 3rd homes. I thought you were at one time working class Michael? Obviously another case of forgetting where you came from and not remembering that there are millions of us still there!!! Most of us work so hard that we dont have the leisure time to follow any interests or passions like actors, footballers MP\’s and other wealthy\’s and long for the day we can retire in order to do so, so why should we have to work until 70 when there are lots of people in their 20\’s and 30\’s who cannot get work and are actually desperate to work. Do not criticise the masses until you\’ve walked a mile their shoes!!!
I wanted to stay on work for 2years extra but even when asked about it it dropped on deaf ears nd that was for a gov/firm so what chance have any body in a private company
As usual the answer is simple-that is unless you\’re a politician! I\’ve worked-mainly for the pittance that is NMW, after I\’ve paid utility bills, rent, (canny afford to buy) rates and TV licence off my less than 12k per year, I had the grand sum of 3.7k odd per year to feed masel, insure masel, house, pets etc, and lets not forget feeding the same! Works out aboot £68 per week-£6 more than the JSA I now get since the recession! Just make it worth while for us to work and people will (well MOST of us!), 20 years ago I had 2/3rds of my wage to spend , now you\’re lucky to have 1/4-and you have to pay things like expensive Dental treatment, car insurance, fuel, travel (like I do-canny afford a car and the expense, which in return reduces my employment options). If politicians think NMW is enough for we Gervies to live on-fine! Then YOU LOT clock in and out for £5.73! And forget the Index – linked pensions! I\’ll have to work till I\’m 80 at this rate. Remember! you are DEMOCRATICALLY ELECTED SERVANTS OF THE PUBLIC! NOT democratically elected DICTATORS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I feel that if we have to work until 70 then there will be no natural wastage for the young to find work. Their options are very limited already being the mother of a 17yr old daughter who wanted to work but is unable to gain employment due to lack of experience (a Joke) is very hard we receive nil monies for her she requires regular medications for which we are charged and feed her on fresh air because there is no support for her she no longer exists in the goverments eyes. As parents we have supported her but she wants to support herself which she is unable to do. Not all school leavers are Isteins or wish to stay on in education.
my husband is still working and he is over 70
im 31 years old and worked since 16 paid tax and ni the same as everyone else why should i have to work till im 70 just to pay for the sudden increase of immagrants who all need housing and money and for all the lazy b********* who cant be arsed to go to work .
what ? is so that we can keep paying for all the money that this theifing goverment have stollen over the years they should all be behind bars english scum bast ds
No, I don\’t want to work until I am 70 years old. I have already have my state pension aged raised to 65. I have worked all my life and want to get some enjoyment whilst I can. This country is definitely a have and have not culture. I believe that any newcomer to our country has to pay in for at LEAST ten years before they are entitled to anything back. Angela
I think the chances of us working till 70 are very slim. No companies are interested in employing anyone over 50, so the chances of employing them over 60 is virtually nil. So will the government come up with a scheme where all people aged over 60 do meanial jobs like cleaning in shopping malls or collecting shopping trolleys in supermarkets. It will not work.
Just read JOHN PARRs comment nobody would want to employ a 50 year old perhaps we would get job seekers allownce?ha ha and wont have to pay council tax
The Idea is a complete mistake,why would employers want people over even 55 ,when there are over 2 million unemployed younger people,and massive numbers of legal & elegal workers flooding into our country to take jobs(or to milk the system).Theres plenty money for pensions,the government have shown that when they threw away 1.5 trillion gbp to the worthless bankers,they always say theres no pension money,& subject our pensioners to starvation rates,yet they fiddle their own expenses,and bail out bankers,the eu,and immigrants with obscene payments,Im afraid we cant be fooled all of the time,and SHAME on the mps for even thinking of thos scandalous idea! What a farce,its time the retirement age came DOWN to say 55/60 to make room for the hords of younger unemployed,who need to experience work for the first time,Get your priorities right mr Brown!!
i just hope that the surgeon who operates on the prime minister or any of his friends is 70 and that all of their sons and daughters have hard,ie skilled trade jobs then see how their bodies hold up after laying bricks or roof tiles till they are 70.
Just remember this, the government consider every person of working age a "work unit", "drone", they dont give a damn about any of us, just so long as they can tax us to oblivion on everything. They would love to have us all drop dead once we are no longer able to work , then we wouldnt be a burden on this "wonderful country" (sarcasm). Politicians should spend some time in the real world for a while. THEY MAKE ME SICK !
This is just another way to save money on pensions,my two brothers died before they were 65,so never got a chance of retiring and being a drain on the economy by getting what they had paid for by hard work.The working man has been conned since MP,s first realised they had a licence to steal from us.Even the massive numbers of civil servants have been doing it,just one instance is their civil service pensions being exempt from income tax,no matter how much they earn.That is true discrimination in the raw,if they are not taxed on their pensions then neither should the normal pensioner.Remember,an MP never lies,they are just "MISUNDERSTOOD"–They never steal from us or make false income tax statements,they are just doing what they are told ? Even i know the difference between right and wrong,if someone told an MP to put his / her hand in a fire,would they do that ?They have systematically plundered and pillaged the society they were elected to represent,a social honour turned to social shame and criminal activity.Each of them must be held accountable for their actions under the criminal law ,just as we would be if we had been caught committing the same crimes.JUSTICE MUST NOW BE SEEN TO BE DONE,NOTHING LESS IS ACCEPTABLE.Waiting to see if there is a public backlash and gauging the severity before deciding to react is typical BROWNISM .a true feed back on why he was never elected in a democratic manner,even that was rampant manipulation ,and we stood for it like spineless dummies.
Many road tanker drivers have to stop work when they are 62 ,as they will no longer be covered by insurance (not a lot of people know that,as Sir Mick Caine said ).
let the government pay it back they could claim it on their expenses and then we dont need to work until we are 70
this goverment want us to work then die with no fun inbetweenjust what i expect from them.no suprise here then…..
I am 66. I was forced to retire early because of a R.T.A. However, as a time served electrician and a certified bus and truck technician, no company wants to know regarding employing me. I have a damaged spine, I can do most things but heavy lift, but the work experience is valid. Much as I would like to work again, possibly in an office ( I have that experience ) there`s little chance.However, there are certain jobs which kill people off early. These are not in the minority. The current age of 65 is fairly normal.
i think that people should retire when thet want but could we not pay tax on our income in the twighlight days and maximum hours should gbe limited to 24 hours per week
It is all about the double standards,between those we elect,who corruptly elevate themselves through greed,theft & avarice,whilst pretending to run the country in our interest.It is a funny democracy,that works for a motley collection of minority groups,yet ignores the majority.What the question represents,is a continuation from the Tories pension \’holiday\’ for employers policy,when they were last in,to the present day question of affording the pension,due to the insanely criminal waste of public(taxpayers)money by that idiot,Gordon Brown.It is a direct assault on the state pension system,an attempt to diminish entitlement,through \’natural wastage\’, in this context,a euphemism for dying, before one collects on one\’s pension entitlement.It is a double standard,because the rich,which includes our absolutely corrupted MP\’s,past & present,including PM\’s, enrich themselves through profit or theft of consumers or taxpayers wealth & then retire early on additional inflated pensions at our expense,knowing that,the state retirement age,will have no consequence for them. Aditionally,they accrue vast sums whilst working part time as MP\’s & gaining non executive directorships,or business advisory positions in the private sector,the system in which business corrupts our democracy,through influencing government,democracy is for the people,business is business, it has no place in a democracy,we should control business,not let business control us.It was gordon Brown that said,words to the effect,New Labour is & always will be,\’BUSINESS FRIENDLY\’, in other words, people come second-REMEMBER THAT AT THE NEXT GENERAL ELECTION.
I\’m 69 and still working, and it;s great!
" Tony Marshwrote: I\’m 69 and still ".So,Tony Marsh, your 69,working & it\’s great , you must be on a \’day off\’, or an MP?
We are living longer and I can\’t stand the thought of retiring at sixty if anything it keeps you young
I am 68 and still working. Because I listened to the Government of the day and paid into a works Pension, the Government are now Taxing me on my State Pension. So be warned !! Once I have paid for Income Tax on my State Pension, Council Tax, Water Tax, TV Tax (all of which I have already paid Income tax on) as well as Power, there is £3.67 a week left for food. Now you see why I am still working.
What the Government should say is :-`You all have to work till you die in this country as long as we keep having wars, as in Iraq / Afghanistan,these wars are funded by you`! The M.O.D `s expenditure for 2007-2008 was a staggering 29 Billion pounds and that does not include the Special Reserve of 7.44 Billion put aside to fund the Iraq war let alone the on going farce in Afghanistan !I am sure these and the `War on Terror`in general are the root cause of this country`s financial problems ,and those of the USA, just think how far that money would go if spent on pensions/ hospitals and schools etc ?(not to mention how many countless lives could have been saved ). We are been taken for mugs and there is no end in sight only one thing is certain the UK is goin` down a slippery slope to oblivion on there`s no one willing to put on the brakes !!!!!
I am 62, 63, this year and out of work. I am a Painter/Decorator and due to the recession I have been out of work since September last year. The building industry is on its knees, just like the rest of almost everything else. I had taken out loans for various purposes, and soon will be unable to repay them, I had tailored them to finish in 2011 in time for my retirement. So the answer to your question, is YES. And even if I was not in the predicament I am in, health permitting.Any one out there like to offer me Employment? Les Wheatley hill.
I totally changed careers at fifty and went from a stressful office job, to running my own home based business. My turnover has just topped £100 Million! So if you\’re not happy with your lot change it, I did so can you! I am now 61 and run work/personal development one day workshops for "Older People" to show them how to make the very most of their"Silver" years. The law has now changed and older people cannot be discriminated against because of their age. We older people have so much to offer by way of reliability, experience, less days of sick, etc However, it is up to us to get motivated and take responsibility for our health and finances. For information on my workshops email j.warrington@live.co.uk
I am 53 years old, I work fulltime as a nursing sister I have been nursing for 34 years, I love my job but NO I couldnt work until 70 doing what I do now . Partime possibly ,depending on health and energy which is sadly lacking at the moment !! I feel I am doing /done my bit and would like to think that I deserve some enjoyment/time to pursue other things that life has to offer. Working till 70 fine if you can, or want too,but god forbid not forced on us, I just hope that all us workers are going to stay healthier enough, or sickness levels will go through the roof
I\’m 58 and frankly life is not as easy as it used to be even though I\’m in good health. I\’m slowing down and it\’s harder to do everything that needs doing – I do a full day at work and go home and collapse. My life outside work suffers because I have to put more into my work to stay in the same place. I long to retire but can\’t imagine when I will be able to. I hate the thought of having to work till 70 but actually my pension pot is so diminished these days I\’ll probably have to anyway. But – doing what? What are the jobs available to "senior citizens"? Not many, I think.
Have you seen the advert ..BENEFIT FRAUD..NO IF\’S NO BUT\’S NO MAYBE\’S…yes all MP\’S should be charged who have abused and used the system …there cannot be a law just for MP\’S…I think those that PAY THE MONEY BACK..think thats ok then..not so..it is still a crime.If we swindle in our jobs we would lose our pension..so should MP\’S..odds on they get a golden hand shake…there just no justice.They have taken the GREAT out of GREAT BRITAIN.
I\’m 74, survived Bowel Cancer (thanks to Staff of the NHS) and I\’m still working and enjoy doing so. No, I am not keeping a youngerperson out of a job. "They" don\’t want me to retire. What price years of experience and an Honours Degree from the University of Life ?
http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/AgeBarriers/