The Old Age Pension is just another social security benefit, which can be withdrawn at any time

There is a good deal of misunderstanding in Britain about the nature of the State Pension and many people view it as a right, rather than an act of charity.

[stephencope]

The old age pension is an entitlement accumulated over 35-40 years and is not a benefit payment!! 😳

[jackdanielsamarreto]

Good evening Simon so coming into this country on a plastic raft being collected by RNLI being taken into a 4 star hotel being given £39.00 a week to purchase whatever having full heating on free meals breakfast dinner and tea baths shores clothing given houses flats and have paid NOTHING IN NOTHING SIMON and this is fare.

[colin]

The only people who are entitled, as of right, seem to be the politicians - 2nd home costs, large expenses allowances for employing family members, free travel etc etc.

[seashell]

If our pensions are 'benefits' then so is Starmers and all the other MPs allowances for everything they claim for - heating, clothing, petrol, food etc etc.
Hypocrites.

[maxpaws]

It's time that the British and Irish take their countries back. Before it's far too late.

[williamsharp]

Disregard for the elderly is a sign of societal decay. It is barbaric.

[frankielov]

Old Age people are still paying, for the Rubber boat Vikings tuck up in five stars hotels, good food, warmth and luxury lifestyle.

[Zantorc]

You can have unselective immigration OR a welfare state, you can't have both.

[BrummyCath]

Isn't the UK pension amongst the lowest in Europe.
I say this as just another 'useless eater'.

[darryllp]

Time for a revolution...
Just need an outstanding leader.

[marksmith]

As someone who is due to receive this benefit next year I would be very upset if the government was to withdraw it for me. After all, could you imagine paying into a pension scheme with say Aviva and for them to turn around at the last minute and say they aren't going to give it to you because you don't need it! This bunch of clowns are the worst government I've ever had the misfortune to be led by.

[barriewilliams]

"The point is clear" working people will one day become

[frankism]

That's fine, I'm not bothered about a state pension, just give me back the money taken from me and which I earned for over 35 years of work and paying national insurance and we'll call it quits.

[AnthonyLauder]

I am 60 now, but even 40 years ago (that is in the 1980s), there were already news headlines that by the time I retired there wouldn't be enough money for there to be a state pension. We were all warned we had to save hard for our own retirements. I did exactly that, even though it was a struggle at the time. Only to hear that the labour govt may now be planning to raid private pension savings, to raise even more taxes for public spending. So, I almost certainly won't get a state pension, and the personal pension I scrimped and scraped for to be able to put away money for 40 years, now looks like it will give me a miserable pension too. You are damned if you do, and damned if you don't.

[sayitlikeitis]

Notice though, there is never any discussion about our ability to pay board and lodging, plus pocket money, to a totally unlimited number of “newcomers” to these shores. Not to mention the fact that funding for each and every one of them is far greater than the £220 odd a week that is the state pension.

[marco-]

Stalin was asked to define "Working Person". He answered "Working People without Savings".

[markjeffery]

No mention of the £13 billion going to China, India, Pakistan etc in Foreign Aid, oh no, they won't cut a penny off that! In fact I bet the give them more!

[kevinburt]

This is disgusting, pensions are not benefits. This government has sunk to a new low, MP's, get so much in allowances, yet screw everyone else. Disgusting.

[pdtech]

It seems the government can find money to pay for fancy 4 star hotels and heat them for those who come here illegally, having paid not a penny into the system⚠️😲
Yet those pensioners who've paid into the system all their lives have to go without winter fuel payments and will mostly likely have to endure a very cold home this winter to get by.😮⚠️😳

Absolutely bonkers Britain...

[paulmorris]

All those years I paid National Insurance, if that money had been paid into a private pension fund I would have been much better off.