General Chat

All budgets are the same ................. ours is due in the coming weeks, and I can basically bet what it will be.

I can also bet that in our current political climate the Opposition Party (Conservative) will object to every singe thing because it is either too much or too little.

Have Labour said anything about your Budget??

As usual we are no better off and money going to the greedy not the needy.

Not really the budget .......... but I saw somewhere yesterday that Putin is saying that the British are so poor because of the help you've sent to Ukraine that you're all now having to eat turnips.

That goes with the squirrels that he said you were all having to eat a few weeks ago!!


But turnips????

We often have a turnip or swede as one of our winter vegetables. Cut in half, hollow with a couple of tbsp of maple syrup and baked in the oven.

Lovely grub!

Have to say re the price of cigarettes going up, couldnt believe they will be over £14 for a packet of 20 :-D :-D :-D Its laughable because years ago when I started smoking(late 70's), 20 no 6 was 20p.

When I gave up in 2007 they were £5 a packet and I only bought 2 packets a week.
So in todays society who on earth can afford £14 a packet? Say 5 packets a week, that £70...

Yes, I paid into my works pensions whilst working for local council, you pay your taxes and yet if you then have state pension added and you go over the limit , then you get taxed again which I think is unfair. Its def a minefield for some.

By the time I reach retirement age which will have increased to 67, there probably wont be a state pension as the pot that pays it will be empty!!

When both of you work and pay into company pensions you think you are doing the right thing even though you can’t imagine being a pensioner

When hubby died it was an omg where do I start but I did get his affairs sorted including his probate

Both of us had company pensions with each other as spouses so next of kin but tbh it’s a minefield as far as state pension is concerned

Well if I was on a full state pension plus my 2 small private pensions, my total would be £13985.

But as I am only 61, I only get Contribution based ESA which only totals £6734 plus my private pensions of £3792 so I never hit the allowance. i dont get the government living allowances they gave out either as you have to be on UC for that!

But Contribution ESA is not means tested so any savings I have are not counted.
Swings & roundabouts isnt it!

AG those on lower basic state pension can/may get pension credit?Unless they have over 10k in savings

It's as I thought it would be - a pile of paper!

One example -

'Extra funding' for nursery places for children - for those born after December 2024 - when this government may not be in power.

Not sure if there will be a nursery for them to attend - many closed because of Covid, and many found they were running at a loss due to this Government's last offer of 'free' places - where Nurseries were paid half the cost !

So, usual bull - empty promises

My state pension is 13867
Personal allowance 12570

I get state pension as a widow
So they give with one hand and then tax it !

I also get a company pension in my own right and widows pension from hubbies works all taxed at basic rate plus the additional state pension also taxed at basic rate

I can understand my company pensions being taxed because the monthly contributions were tax exempt but taxiing the state pension because hubby’s income qualified for a personal pension or reduced widow pension seems wrong

Hubby’s company pension was non contributary so he was never given tax allowance for it

Thousands of older people don't get the £10193 which Florence mentions.

My state pension (old "Basic State Pension") is £9629.
Many get even less, depending on personal circumstances.


But I agree it's a pity the personal allowance hasn't been increased.
Many people on low incomes but with savings , who may not have had to pay tax before, will now have to do so, because of interest rates having jumped from less than 1% to about 3% or 4%

They froze the tax allowance last year at £12,570 but the new full state pension is£203.85 per week or £10193 PA.

So you will only pay tax if you have extra private pensions or some other additional income taking you over the £12570? Is that what you mean Shirley?

My disabled granddaughter who needs lots of medical assistance hasn’t got an allocated paediatrician. Why? Because he retired early as it wouldn’t be worth his while continuing to work because of the pensions cap. They can’t find anyone to replace him. So yes, we can grumble about “ the top 1%”, but is it having a real effect on retaining those very experienced senior doctors which some people desperately need.

Was hoping they would put up the tax threshold because seeing my tax code for the new tax year I noted that my oap pension is higher than the personal allowance so before you start you pay on income tax :-(

Haven't seen it.
Top 1% never lose out.

No comments? I guess everyone must be satisfied.
Well, after all the hype the budget is really a total non event for the majority of us. The only ones seeming to get anything are those that totally do not need it, the top 1% of the population. Surely better had the relaxation of the pension cap been limited to actual NHS employees?
Obviously we can expect a give away budget next year to try and fool the people but maybe by then it will be too late for the Country as we fall even deeper into the mire because of the crass stupidity of the past Tory governments; so not a lot to look forward to...