On Fri, 13 Jul 2012 09:32:52 +0100, Dave Liquorice
wrote:

On Fri, 13 Jul 2012 08:54:08 +0100, MM wrote:

These two programmes have attempted to show how we can all work into
our 70s, as that is what the government keeps telling us is going to be
necessary.

Aye, anyone younger than around their early 50's ought to look at what
the current projected state pensiojn age is for them. I'm 52 and won't
get the State Pension until I'm 66. That's assuming I make it that far,
just been diagnosed with Parkinson's. B-(
http://pensions-service.direct.gov.u...calculator/hom
e.asp

Currently anyone younger than 34 won't get their State Pension until they
are 68 but the rules they are a changing. Particularly for those between
34 and 50 odd.

But the truth is that even with healthy pensioners, they just don't
have the stamina and cannot be expected to be as flexible as
20-year-olds.

Imagine 75-year-old bus drivers driving your kids to school? They
could have a heart attack or stroke any minute.

How did we jump from 70 (which is 2 years on from the current State
Pension age) to 75?

My late father was still very fit and active into his late 70's. The FiL
has slowed down in the last few years, he is also in his late 70's. I'm
not saying that people should have to work to 75 but that isn't,
currently, what HMG are saying. They are saying 68.

Strokes and heart attacks aren't just "old persons" illness's.

No, what is needed is a fundamental re-think of the whole concept of
capitalism, because it is now coming to the end of its useful life as
fewer and fewer jobs are available due to mechanisation and robot
processes.

There does need to be a massive kick up the backside of the extremes of
capitalism. The banks and financial institutions have become too
separated from reality.

The government is certainly crapping itself about the potential size of
the Pensions bill in the coming years, that's the primary mover for
pushing up the State Pension age and trying to push it's value down.
Anyone with any sense should be making their own private Pension
provision, the earlier you start the less strain it is to build up a
decent pot, even if that does seem a contradiction with the previous
para.

The pension age will doubtless drift upwards. I will get state pension at
65 and after various increases in age my wife will now get hers a week
before her 65th birthday. Fortunately we can get by on savings and private
pensions since neither of us is now working.
There is a big difference between people continuing to work through rather
than having 8 years retired and then going back as happened in the TV
programme. Personally many years of stress did my head in and I gave up
before I reached 60. Similarly a lot of people would be incapable of
demanding work by late 60s I suspect.
Of course if the government did not have its dogma over immigration we
would only need a third of anticipated austerity measures and the
retirement date would not have to go up so quickly.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk...s-7939667.html