Give the manchester city council a hard time, hers's a good place to start.

[john carrington]

 I sent this to M.C.C they where not best pleased, idiots I didn't send it to please them, embarrass them was my intention  I took the pictures while walking to the newsagent where I currently live ( short walk )  area in free-fall is an understatement.
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OY5BO8UEMUs 

[Corrupt council]

You have my full
support .

[Dor]

Good Video ...It really is a matter of where to start though isn't it ?

The High Street is in decline now like it or loathe it ,the world is changing ...what with the net etc.
You talk about the " poor " , i'll be honest with you JC ...how can there be  poor people in this country  given all the help they receive  ? Why are some women just not up to the mark lately ? is it that they are out at work all day with no one home when the children arrive back from school.Is that the reason why their children have no moral compass with no respect for themselves or anyone else?

These Councils have had it large for years and now that their budgets are tightened they chose to blame the government for all their ills.

Do you think we should look at "the Family " ? I do , that is where the root lies imo

[john carrington]

I do take your point Dor, but £53 JSA or same on ESA doesn't go far for a single person. State pension is nearly three times that amount, not including the many add on's.
People often say to me that pensioners have paid in, true most have. It is a little  known fact that the average pensioner has taken out what they put in with in two years. But draw it for an average twenty years.
I don't begrudge are OAP's one penny ( I'm in my sixties ) we don't live in a perfect world but some would have a massive shock if they hat walk in some peoples shoes for a mile or two. Best wishes and thanks for contribution, that's what's great about these forums the ability to air our views.
 

[Manchester Man]

Bit confused John (yes I know it's not hard  )

Basic State Pension is £111 per week.
The single person benefit cap of £18,000 per year means they would have to earn around £25,000 to get that. If earning that much they would pay around £3000 NI per year. Working for just 40 years they would pay in £120,000.
It would take them 20 years to get that back as a Pension.

ATB
Ray.

[Cupcake]

How are the Council involved in that? They don't have any control over benefits or pensions - that's central Government stuff.       
 
No offence intended, but I do think that there's a case to answer when people claim a UK state pension and then spend it all on the Costa Wotsit.  If you're taking support from UK funds, you should reciprocate by supporting UK businesses, not Fernando's Beach Bar.   

[john carrington]

How are the Council involved in that? They don't have any control over benefits or pensions - that's central Government stuff.       
 
No offence intended, but I do think that there's a case to answer when people claim a UK state pension and then spend it all on the Costa Wotsit.  If you're taking support from UK funds, you should reciprocate by supporting UK businesses, not Fernando's Beach Bar.   

Well I don't get state benefits or a state pension, I have two jobs both unpaid and for charity. I do have a private pension that cost me an arm and leg I also am self employed and my home is in Spain. The work situation there is worse than here, so I offered my help to ageconcern to try and do my bit to help others. I live in deplorable conditions as that is all I can afford right now.

[Cupcake]

I wasn't talking about you.  Your profile states clearly that you are 61 and over here working.  I am talking about people like my friend's parents who claim a full state pension, whatever that may be in their case, and live full time in Spain.  I do not grudge anyone a pension and nor do I believe that people should be forced to live in the UK to be eligible for a pension.  I simply think that when given any kind of state benefit to live on, because it ultimately comes from taxation of some kind, there ought to be an obligation to contribute back into the system supporting you, as opposed to taking the full amount and putting it all into a foreign economy.  What people do with private pensions or personal savings is of course entirely their own business.

[john carrington]

That is fair comment, I apologise for being over sensitive, I find  texting a lot harder than face to face I'm not good with the written word 

[Cupcake]

No worries.    Maybe I contributed by opening my post with "no offence" - that does sound as if I was going to be more personal than my remarks actually were, and I then used "you" in the general sense which could be misread as specific, so I apologise if it sounded like a dig.    It wasn't at all.   
 

[Corrupt council]

That is fair comment, I apologise for being over sensitive, I find  texting a lot harder than face to face I'm not good with the written word 

Some people on here John are easily offended , especially when you have a diffrent view point. You will get use to it in time.

[john carrington]

Some people on here John are easily offended , especially when you have a diffrent view point. You will get use to it in time.

Thanks for your comment C.C. I will take it on board.

[Corrupt council]

In my view John the problem is the forgone conclusion that the labour candidates will win a seat on the council.


For to long people vote like sheep and relect labour councillors , in the meantime manchester especially the north has been run down and in some areas ground into poverty and crime.


People's hopes and been taken away so they turn to robbery and dealing dope.

[sheilanz]

Dont knowif I,ve said this before but when I
applied for the pension (British one) I was told
I would get 14pounds per week as I had,nt worked
full time all my life, however NZ takes that 14pounds and I get the full NZ pension, works ouit at  212 pounds per week, that includes living
alone allowance, quite a difference eh,have just
last pay day had a 5 pound increase a week.
Have changed it from dollars to pounds for your
ease, I pay all my bills and save aprx 42pounds
each fortnight...........This is to pay Insurance
Rates etc/ also presents or days outings
 

[lozflan]

Cups, dont knock all pensioners in spain, some go for less than 1/2 a yr, hence they still pay taxes in u.k. It keeps them out of the n.h.s. system, its easier to buy medicien @drugs over the counter, to stay well.               my small savings,[which keep me off benefits] would disapear quicker than a rat up a drainpipe.