State Pension Increase

How sad.


The assessment is always a bit hit and miss. We've some friends, her eyesight is failing so she can no longer drive, he had an aortic aneurysm fifteen years ago, which meant his body shut down before he could be worked on in the hospital and he lost a leg and a kidney. The local authority are still trying to reassess him, wanting to class him as fit to work and he's over sixty!

 

Blimey I’m really so sorry to hear your story. It makes me ashamed to have had a wee rant in my post above.

It is because of the stress and jumping through hoops that we choose to carry on as we are. I earnt very good money through my working life so we live on that. Of course the pension at 65 as it was would have been helpful but it’s an extra 2 years so that’s that..

We get along

 

I think you are absolutely spot on. I think it matters not which party are in power they are all the same. This is why we don’t want to get into dealings with the system as I believe it’s very difficult. Genuine people in my opinion always seem to get the thorny end of the stick.

 

My wife's fairly fortunate, if you can call it that. With MS there's no chance of recovery so her disability benefit was awarded in perpetuity, she doesn't have to be reassessed. We'd rather she was fit and well and didn't need it.

 

I feel for you my friend I really do. All I can do is wish you both the very very best.

 

Thanks for your kind words.

 

A letter from the Inland Revenue this morning, telling me I've underpaid tax this year by, £1.40. I hope they won't be sending in the bailiffs.
Those of us on PAYE are at a distinct disadvantage, if you have any sort of investment income, you can get several self-assessment demands a year. As I'm of an age where I'm spending more than saving and all my income is now taxed at source, I wrote to them the year before last and told them I was sick of them chasing me to complete these returns in the hopes I'd underpaid a few quid and why didn't they spend the time chasing the real evaders who are getting away with millions of unpaid income tax?

They've never sent me a SA since.

Back to disability benefits. There's been a purge by the Agency to try to reduce the amount paid out, with lots of reassessments. We constantly read in the press about claimants who've been "found out" to have fraudulently claimed money to which they weren't entitled and have been prosecuted for it, which is only right.

Our friends (he with a leg amputated below the hip, lost a kidney and has restricted movement in one hand, due to the effects of an aortic aneurysm) who have suffered from rather over the top pressure from these people, have a daughter-in-law who works for the DHHS in Liverpool, who gave them some information.
The "assessors" aren't medically qualified, their remit is to get the benefits reduced any way they can. So far over 19,000 people have successfully challenged the reduction in benefits, by over-zealous "jobsworths" and had their rightful benefits restored. But at what cost?
A lot of hard work and stress.

 

I can only sympathise with those with disabilities who have to undergo the stress and indignity of these medical assessments. A friend of mine 5 years or so ago used to dread these assessments......he had twice weekly dialysis, lost a leg because of his diabetis, had numerous other health issues. He later had his other leg removed yet had to face 3 year assessments and always worried about them.
Down here funding has been cut to the bone for those with learning difficulties.....places for them to go provided vital respite for their carers, parents, family etc. A huge strain on everybody involved.
We do have an uncaring government....they all have been.....but, come on, let's give those suffering with disabilities some respect.
Touch wood, I am in reasonable health but I am more than happy to pay more to support those less fortunate

 

The Local Government pension age which was 65 has now been linked to the state pension age (devious move I think ). The state pension age will also be reviewed regularly - it will be going up again - pity the poor people who are just starting out in Local Government - they will be looking at retiring at 70 or later.

As everyone knows, I packed in work last year - and will drawing my LG pension 12 years early when I turn 55 (not sure why this has gone all italics). The state pension will supplement this - assuming I make it to 67 that is.

We have some small savings - and no mortgage - but every other penny is spent - I don't think there's much point in saving (for us anyway) - those days are gone - spend and enjoy now I say .

 

One of the biggest advantages of retirement is when you stop paying N.I. That was a shed-load of cash.

No pockets in shrouds, we're spending what we had saved as and when we feel we need to. Trouble is, some people think they'll live for ever. I'll be happy at 78, if I get another ten years.

 

I think that once a person is within 10 years of the post age alterations cannot be made... IE I’m 6 years off now so I don’t think they can alter my eligibility.... Not certain though.....

It’s a bizarre situaion regarding these agencies that carry out disability reviews. They are not competent people so how can they reach decisions especially when qualified doctors have deemed that the person is disabled and cannot function ????

Apparently the government spend more money attempting to reduce the number of disabled from benifits than the actual money they might have saved. But all this means many like us don’t bother to mess with it.