Pension fairness

Published on 19/12/2012 00:00

The “bashing” of those in ­receipt of a state pension is a disturbing current trend. We are told that the younger generation is taxed with the burden of ­providing pensions for the older generation. Is this really the case? And is it a fair complaint?

My father left school at 13 by a special dispensation because his father had died prematurely and the family needed a bread-winner.

He worked for 52 years and during all that time paid his National Insurance (NI) contributions, not to mention his taxes.

He feels, rightly, that he has earned his pension. Indeed, the pension of anybody who is ­currently reaching pensionable age is calculated according to the number of years they have paid NI contributions. If they have not completed the requisite number of payments, then their pension is correspondingly ­reduced.

Does that not make it clear that the pension has been paid for and that the pensioner is entitled to it without being made to feel as if he is sponging from those currently in employment?

Pensions are not “benefits” and should not be spoken of in the same breath as unemployment and housing benefit etc.

In the majority of cases they have been earned and the recipients, such as my father, are 
receiving just what is due to them.

Colin Hamilton

Braid Hills Avenue

Edinburgh