‘We still want to retire at 65’

Friday 16th January 2009, 11:30AM GMT.

PUBLIC response to the pension puzzle has revealed that islanders do not want to work longer or pay more.

Nearly 3,000 people responded to Social Security’s questionnaire on how to fund Guernsey’s old-age pension into the future.

Increasing the pension age to 70 by 2050 was extremely unpopular but keeping it at 65 was favoured.

Increasing individual and employer contributions by 1% was also unpopular, while increasing upper limits for both individuals and employers was favoured.

The questionnaire asked people to score proposals on a scale of one to 10.

‘We were very pleased with the response,’ said Social Security minister Mark Dorey (pictured).

‘Many people made additional comments. This has been very informative for Social Security members and we are grateful to everyone who returned their questionnaire.’

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View more: Mark Dorey news, Pensions news, Social Security news.

1
GsyGal

January 16, 2009 at 1:57 pm

How about you rethink the benefits system. Make these single parents whose children are at school actually get a job! maybe only part time or shift work, but still Work a bit instead of living off Benefits.
Also people who are not working due to depression, (having suffered myself i know what theyre going through and yes i know its not easy) sitting at home feeling sorry for yourself wont help! get out there, get a job and make something of yourself!

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2
Merlin

January 16, 2009 at 3:31 pm

I agree with Gsy Gal. There are far too many people in receipt of benefits who could easily work but they get money thrown at them. If a labourer is signed off because they have a bad back they should be made to retrain not remain on benefits for the rest of their life (just an example i am not picking on labourers). I also think the same for single parents and also young men and women who have never worked since they left (or were expelled) from school. They need to learn to be responsibile not rewarded for being bad time keepers and bad employees. Wouldn’t we all like to stay home and get paid for it along with medical bills etc.

Also making some people work until the age of 70 will impact most on the less wealthy and those who do not have separate pensions – usually those in danger of poor health too. How many wealthy people are already retiring at the age of 50 – people who, in the past were able to save up a very tidy nest egg thanks to tax benefits. The States of Deliberation have got the island in this mess by not thinking ahead. They should have saved more while they had the chance – instead of squandering it. Now they have to think outside the box and use the expertise on-island and stop paying exorbitant amounts of money for ‘consultants’ to tell us the obvious.

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3
Mark

January 16, 2009 at 4:55 pm

I agree also with GsyGal and Merlin. Why should we hard workers suffer because the state is giving handouts to scroungers who have never, and never will do a hard day’s work in their lives. Having been in the GSSA office and looked at the jobs vacant area board, I was amazed to see so many simple jobs advertised that anyone could do. If your unemployed in these times – your LAZY.

Most people I know work their socks off to pay their mortgages, take holidays and buy nice things for their home and themselves.

Self employed people get hammered enough as it is as they have to pay more of a contribution and get less benefits than employees get, so to have to work an extra 2 – 5 years to get to pension age is just not good enough. I bet the people making these decisions will probably enjoy their state pensions when they get to 60, so they wont give a damn.

The clear message to politicians is – Leave it as it is, and make up your shortfall by giving less handouts to single mothers, scroungers who claim dole, and people claiming disability benefit (a minority of them aren’t even disabled!!)- I could name a few!!

Charge more to these high earning bank workers who get bonuses each year, that are bigger than some peoples monthly/2 monthly salaries!!
They should pay more of a stamp.

Come on States of Guernsey – surely one politician will have the guts to make this their next election campaign and come down hard on these no-hopers.

I have lived in Guernsey all my life, island born and bred, and generations of my family have also, dating back to 1600′s. The way this Island is heading is very dis-heartening and sometimes it makes you want to just say i’ve had enough and emigrate.

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