Well OT - The apprentice has feally f****d it up this time

[charles]

But, ISTR from 20 years ago, if you are signed on as "unemployed" you get NI credits. Perhaps it's changed.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

No. If you are registered as unemployed or sick etc, of course you get NI credits. Which can be problem for the self employed, as they don't pay NI in the same way as those on PAYE.

Those who reach the appropriate age for the OAP with no entitlement to the OAP can of course apply for some form of benefits. But this isn't a pension.

[michael adams]

ER, I don't quite know how to put this to you Timmy, but maybe if you show this to somebody else they may be able to explain it to you.

The figures you quoted there for Australian cities, 10,000 and 11,000 both *fall within the range* which I gave above, of 6 - 12,000 miles.

As it happens I don't think it makes a deal of difference whether Wodney is posting from 6,000 or 12,000 miles away. to be honest. In fact he could be posting from the Isle of Wight for all the difference it would make. Maybe you'd like to work that one out, say from London ?

Don't beat yourself up about that one Timmy.

As compared with not realising that both 10,000 and 11,000 fall within the range of

6 to 12,000 that's not really something you need worry too much about.

Trust me.

michael adams

....

[Tim Streater]

How about you say "between 0 - 25,000 miles" next time, then you'll have all bases covered.. Meanwhile we can all take note that you can't do sums or read a website.

[michael adams]

But why should I ? The limits of the range I posted were 6,000 as given on the website and 12,000 which was the figure you originally posted, which turned out to be wrong.

Had you wrongly posted say 25,000 miles instead, then quite possibly, just to humour you once more, I might well have quoted a range of say 6 - 25,000 instead.

Although quite why this appears to mean so much to you, given that your original figure of 12,000 miles was so demonstrably wrong, and as if it even mattered in the first place, is a continuing source of amusement; if nothing else.

michael adams

...

[bert]

I hope you've got a good pension lined up for when you get old.

[bert]

State Pension is not a benefit. It is an insurance payout from the National Pensions Insurance fund. Old age as you will discover is not a temporary condition.

[bert]

If they haven't enough years of NI payment then pension is reduced - as many women will tell you.

[bert]

They don't get OAP.

[News]

In message , Tim Streater writes

Three words missing? ... in your tea.

[whisky-dave]

So how will they pay the rent, food bills, council tax, utility bills, and what about medical costs ?

[Dave Plowman (News)]

The numbers of refugees over pension age is tiny. Most wouldn't have the strength for the journey. Just look at any TV prog showing them.

But there is virtually zero Syrian refugees reaching the UK anyway.

But any who did - or any UK citizen not entitled to an OAP due to a lack of NI contributions - could still claim some benefits. Luckily, we haven't quite got to the point in this country of letting people starve or rely solely on charity. Yet.

[JoeJoe]

All experts (apart from Jude Law and Benedict Cumberbatch who drop by for a photo opportunity every once in a while) agree that the vast majority of the (so-called) refugees are not Syrians. Even those who claim that they are.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Makes no difference. As I said virtually no refugees reach the UK. The vast majority of immigrants are from the EU or the commonwealth countries.

It makes me smile. About half are from the EU which nothing can be done about at present. The other 'half' are, and always have been, under the control of the UK government only - not the EU. Yet Cameron has failed to reduce the total numbers at all - despite claiming he would do so years ago.

[whisky-dave]

yes so the majority are under pension age. So how longh have they been paying into the UK pension pot ?

yes the weak, the old the women tend to get left behind.

So far, about from the 20k.

But I've been told they don;t come here for benifits.

exactly so saying that no one comes here for benifits is irrelivent. They still need a home and for that to happen unless they build them then that's one home less for anyone currently looking for a home.

[whisky-dave]

Well are they asylum seekrs then, it's easy to change their badge. Once a reffugee enters europe arent; they seen as EU citizens so cna come to the UK not as refugees but as aslylum seekers.

The

[Dave Plowman (News)]

From as long as they have been working here and paying NI contributions?

Figure I've seen is about 1000.

And? If they have worked here for long enough to earn benefits, you'd stop them?

Depends. Many may want to come to the UK because they have family/friends here already, and will live with them.

I take it you're perfectly happy with non UK residents buying up property and leaving it empty?

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Total bollocks. You've been listening to the likes of Farage again.

[Old Git]

Someone else fallen for the smoke and mirrors trick of terminology.

The state pension is a benefit and not a right. If you go into hospital or find yourself in a myriad of other situations, you are required to inform the gestapo and they will stop your pension if you exceed 6 weeks, (I believe). It is also subject to income tax and is set against your tax allowance. BTDTAGTTS.

Doesn't bother me much, as i'm minted. We all make decisions in our life and if you make the wrong ones, you only have yourself to blame. I made sure I I took decisions, as best I could and was grateful later on in life.

I have to disagree with those who witter on about how poor pensioners lives are blighted by the gummint. Some years back, I worked as a Financial Consultant. I was given the dubious pleasure of servicing an extremely large and scabby council estate. Almost every call was a waste of time. No matter how much advice was offered the outcome would be the same. I can't afford it and when I retire the gummint will fix me up with a pension and benefits. I had this from most clients the worse being a guy who had just spent 30 mins demonstrating his brand new £3,500 video/audio system.

[jgh]

You've not come across the ramblings of Richard Murphy, then.

jgh