Labour Party politics

[eaglesdare]

Exactly, some people have paid for their pensions. Cut the pensions for those who have not.
Subsidised Retirement housing would go a long way to solving the problem of poor pensioners.
Make people contribute more for the state pension. If they do contribute more, make it guaranteed.

I actually think the retirement housing you get in the UK for over 55s is very good. I don't think there is anything similar in other countries? If you have a private pension your lump sum could pretty much buy one of them depending on the location.

 

[ASCPFC]

I actually think the retirement housing you get in the UK for over 55s is very good. I don't think there is anything similar in other countries? If you have a private pension your lump sum could pretty much buy one of them depending on the location.

I think it used to be. I'm not so sure much exists to the same extent anymore. My mother had a small bungalow and my gran did. Both council and warden controlled. But they were lucky. We really had to pull strings to get my mum one. My gran was around when it was more widespread. I may be wrong, just my own experience of it.

 

[eaglesdare]

I think it used to be. I'm not so sure much exists to the same extent anymore. My mother had a small bungalow and my gran did. Both council and warden controlled. But they were lucky. We really had to pull strings to get my mum one. My gran was around when it was more widespread. I may be wrong, just my own experience of it.

Yeah I get you. We did the same for my mother. She ended up getting one from the council. My dad is in the process of buying one with his pension payout.

Nothing of the like exists in Ireland tho.

 

[ASCPFC]

Yeah I get you. We did the same for my mother. She ended up getting one from the council. My dad is in the process of buying one with his pension payout.

Nothing of the like exists in Ireland tho.

We're paying 5400 a month for my mother in law's nursing home. The fair deal wanted us to contribute 1000 a week. Which are both more than what I earn (net). We illegally short term let the home to pay for the fees. We still have to contribute and I'm the main earner. f***ing mother in laws.
I guess thousands are in our situation. It's another crisis yet we don't mention it as everything is a crisis. I'd suggest a crisis is temporary and really all of our crises are the normal situation.

 

[georgenorman]

More news from the EU Utopia:
Hundreds of thousands of protesters demonstrated across France as the country prepares for a general strike in the coming days.
In Paris, police fired tear gas and clashed with protesters in a third weekend of nationwide demonstrations against the rising cost of living and poor public services.
More than 320,000 people took to the streets around the country and at least 290 protesters were arrested, according to France's interior ministry. Police say about 70,000 demonstrated in Paris [BBC]
Similar protests are also taking place in Germany and Italy as people take to the streets to express how wonderful they feel being in the EU.

 

[cryrst]

I actually think the retirement housing you get in the UK for over 55s is very good. I don't think there is anything similar in other countries? If you have a private pension your lump sum could pretty much buy one of them depending on the location.

The problem is if it has the monthly rent on top. If that’s left to you in a will you will be liable until it’s sold. They are difficult to sell and there are stories of it costing families their savings and needing loans and remortgages.

 

[chris123]

The problem is if it has the monthly rent on top. If that’s left to you in a will you will be liable until it’s sold. They are difficult to sell and there are stories of it costing families their savings and needing loans and remortgages.

I was going to say the same and add the probate process is all other the place.

 

[The Dolphin]

You cannot refuse the pension.
Don’t you get it. It isn’t means tested.
Irrelevant if you have millions or not.
Means testing it would be sensible.
But cleverer people than you cannot find a way so best accept it how it is !
Also it is a bit socialist to be envious of successful people and want to share their wealth which this will do !

It is means tested as such, because it is income as opposed to a benefit.
If you have other income it gets tagged on and taxed, same as the winter fuel payments

 

[Badger11]

The problem is if it has the monthly rent on top. If that’s left to you in a will you will be liable until it’s sold. They are difficult to sell and there are stories of it costing families their savings and needing loans and remortgages.

This came up in a money article recently. It is true that executors of wills are having trouble selling these warden assisted homes as the bottom has fallen out fo the market. People are afraid of the rising costs of the maintenance fees and the lack of accountability behind the rises. Often the management company is tied to the owner of the property e.g. McCarthy Stone and xxx. So if the leaseholders want to change management companies because of costs and etc. they can't. Neither are there any guarantees about the rate of increases. This had led to horror stories in the media of pensioners finding their maintenance fee has increased by multiple times over a few short years.

In terms of liability for a deceased person, neither the executors of the will or the heirs are liable fo any debts personally. It is that person's estate. So before an executor can distribute the proceeds of the will they must first settle the estates debt / taxes. As long as this is done correctly there is no liability on anyone else.

In this case that would mean any ongoing bills relating to an unsold retirement home must be paid by the estate, so any cash would be gobbled up. If the only asset was the home then that must be sold to pay the debts. If it can't be sold the debtors must wait, even if that means the amount owed goes up. In one case I read about the management company bill kept rising as it as the place was still unsold after 4 years. Th executors had cut and cut the selling price, eventually they handed the property over to the management company as settlement so any heirs got nothing.

To sum up it must be incredibly stressful for the executors and heirs but as long as they obey the law they themselves will not be liable, they may not benefit however.

 

[eaglesdare]

The problem is if it has the monthly rent on top. If that’s left to you in a will you will be liable until it’s sold. They are difficult to sell and there are stories of it costing families their savings and needing loans and remortgages.

Oh. I didn't know about the monthly rent. Do you mean the yearly service charge / maintenance fee? Or is there actual rent to pay after buying one? I'll look into it.

 

[Badger11]

Oh. I didn't know about the monthly rent. Do you mean the yearly service charge / maintenance fee? Or is there actual rent to pay after buying one? I'll look into it.

If purchased, it's just maintenance fees and possibly ground rent. Some retirement flats can be rented in which case it would be rent and maintenance fees. However in that case there would be a clause in the rental agreement relating to death so the executor should know what they are liable for.

 

[cryrst]

Oh. I didn't know about the monthly rent. Do you mean the yearly service charge / maintenance fee? Or is there actual rent to pay after buying one? I'll look into it.

See badger above and yes maintenance etc.. Tbh an old person may be better renting and paying monthly fees as this at least gives an end date even if the term has to be finalised by the executors.
Only going by what I’ve read though.