TOT Electric cars will be cheaper to run

[charles]

Last year, at the age of 81, I was elected Chairman of a charity. I was told they didn't have an ageism policy.

[Dave Plowman (News]

Quite. You need to treat it overall. Energy used to produce either that electricity or petrol. And petrol is a good way of storing potential energy - far more efficient than a battery.

EVs still have lots of rotating components and therefore bearings. Which will need servicing at some time. And tyres and brakes.

On many modern cars, the electronics give problems at some time. An EV is full of these, and rather more expensive ones too.

But with a new vehicle, the major cost is depreciation. Impossible to say how EVs will be on that scale once commonplace.

[Andrew]

It's a stupid selfish waste of a non-renewable resource. If it's so cold outside that an open-fire or other form heating is required, then just go indoors, or go to a decent pub where the heating is contained within the envelope of a building, no matter how badly insulated it is.

[Andrew]

ROFL. £100 Billion for the state pension alone, plus public service pensions, plus the biggest slice of the NHS annual £150 Billion cost. By age 74 most pensioners have received back every penny of their net lifetime contributions and freeload from then on. From 85 onwards the average cost of 'free' NHS is about £30,000 per person. Go and look it up.

[Andrew]

Actually they were banking on you not being in that position for 'too' long, just in case you turned out to be one of the awkward brigade (so v difficult to remove :-) )

[charles]

the society's President, still veny active, is 2 months older than me.

[williamwright]

What gives you the right to tell me how I can spend my money? The trouble with environmentalists/commies is that they think everyone should toe the line that they have set. It's extremely patronising, and dangerous.

Personally if I find myself subjected to greeny coercion I go out of my way to do the exact opposite. Freedom is precious.

Bill

[JNugent]

Do you plan to self-euthanise at 60?

[Robin]

wd help if you cited the source of your figures

[williamwright]

Or better still now?

Bill

[bert]

Go look it up - again

[Vir Campestris]

Well, I intend to retire shortly. As soon as conditions will permit me to use a lifetime's savings to enjoy myself.

If you count me spending my savings on food, drink, travel etc as not contributing to the economy then I'll be a parasite. I suspect the people I buy those services from may differ.

Andy

[Vir Campestris]

He's just making the numbers up.

Even if it's true - for my working life I've been putting money into the NHS. Far more than I've ever had , or likely will have, back. Why shouldn't I be entitled to use it?

Andy

[williamwright]

Well it can't be, on average, can it?

Bill

[Andrew]

Actually fairly simple maths, which people here should be able to do themselves. The NHS budget is £150 Billion per year. NI was peanuts for decades. A few shilllings a week 'stamp' does not cover the staggering cost of modern medical drugs and treatments. There ara 12 million pensioners. We have £2+ trillion in national debt. Why is this when Germany has amassed about the same amount in surplus since 2000 ?. If you earn £168/week for 35 years you will earn 35 years NI credits despite paying no NI at all and collect a state pension worth £237,000 (m) or £267,000 (f). No-one over 85 paid any of the NI increases but were the main beneficiaries of the quadrupling of the NHS budget by NuLab in 2001, because they were all retired by then.

[alan_m]

I have retired but 1+

There is now a generation of people that are retiring with decent pensions and are likely to be less of a financial burden on the welfare system than in the past. Pensions are classed as taxable income.

Many in the hospitality industry have realised that those with disposable income and time on their hands to visit their establishments, especially during the day, are those who have retired. Recently I spent four weeks visiting friends with many pub visits for food and drink during the day. Many of the pubs were quite busy (although limited by covid restrictions) and over 50% of custom was my age, or over.

If by the time I'm being fed, clothed and having my arse wiped the cost is likely to be coming from my remaining assets - my house! It one way of recycling my remaining wealth back into the economy :)

[Dave Plowman (News]

Many on here believe 'their' money in the form of taxes etc should only be spent on them. And forget they were once too young to earn money and will also become too old too.

[bert]

And as you age you tend to buy in services for things you would have previously done yourself, gardening, odd jobs, cleaning, food delivery etc.

[bert]

Funny those who do the maths seriously come up with the figure of £50bn net contribution. Hopefully you will understand the word net. Oh and NI doesn't fund the NHS to any great extent. It's mostly general taxation, which pensioners do pay.

[williamwright]

It's irrelevant that medical costs have gone up. When I say 'on average', I mean that since the money coming in equals the money going out the average person had paid in as much as they're taking out.

Bill